In 1974 he was caught in a pile-up involving ten cars, among them Leo Bartoli’s Melesi. Cappellotto came off worst: hospital, and several days before the doctors would commit themselves.

He kept racing. In 1977 he sold his old Formula 3 car to Peo Consonni, and from 1978 he worked for five years with Luciano Pavesi, until he gave up driving.