Music and Ferrari, two worlds that, defying appearances, have a degree of contact: they form magnificence and create feelings. Piero Fusaro, an engineer born in 1938, cultivated the primary as a passion (“I had the fortune of listening dwell to nice performers like Furtwangler and Celibidache, for a few years I subscribed to the season of the Nationwide Symphony Orchestra of Turin and the Unione Musicale”) and the second by combining ardour with career. A major a part of Ferrari’s historical past right now—because of the years which have handed—is a bit blurry, nevertheless it deserves to be revisited, as a result of yesterday’s Ferrari additionally helps us perceive and admire right now’s Ferrari.
Right here is his full interview for Italian every day newspaper Tuttosport:
Engineer Piero Fusaro, you first entered Ferrari in 1975. What was your impression?
“Initially, let’s say that I’ve all the time been obsessed with racing and Ferrari particularly, so when, across the center of 1975, Engineer Ferrari known as me to summon me, fortunately I used to be sitting down, in any other case I’d have fallen to the bottom. I rushed to Ferrari, in fact, I used to be acquired by the Engineer for lunch, we spent a few great hours, and my impression was that the respect and nice admiration I had for that man have been totally confirmed, after which the primary impressions have been confirmed over time, we grew to become superb pals, he known as me day-after-day to ask me to lunch, together with Saturdays and Sundays. Ferrari was a small firm, with about 1,500 staff, and at the moment, it had some issues as a result of that they had launched the 308 GT4, the primary automobile made with out Pininfarina’s design (signed by Bertone, ed.), and it was a automobile that had gross sales issues initially; in actuality, it was an exquisite, easy-to-drive automobile. I virtually lived alongside Enzo Ferrari for 5 years, respiration the historical past of motorsport.”
What was your relationship like with Mauro Forghieri?
“Improbable, furthermore, we have been neighbors, and on Sunday afternoons, we frequently met with our households. Modenese individuals are great to me as a result of they’re nice employees, however in addition they know the best way to dwell properly, so we might meet and say ‘Shall we’ve dinner collectively tonight?’ and sometimes on Sunday night, we dined with wives and youngsters. An ideal man, Forghieri, he was somebody who spoke his thoughts, an especially honest particular person. One proven fact that hasn’t all the time come out within the newspapers is that considered one of Engineer Ferrari’s nice insights was to create a crew with three basic parts: the primary was to care for the event of the automobile of the second, and that was accomplished by Rocchi, the second handled meeting and engine improvement and automobile meeting, entrusted to Engineer Bussi, and the third labored on the event of the automobile of the longer term, entrusted to Forghieri. So Ferrari had divided the Sporting Administration into three important sectors, after which Forghieri, apart from specializing in the longer term, additionally took care of no matter he wished, it was inevitable, he was made that method.”
In 1988, after the demise of the Engineer, you have been appointed president of Ferrari. How did the decision come?
“I used to be summoned by Lawyer Agnelli, who instructed me, ‘Look Fusaro, Ferrari all the time instructed me that you must have been his successor.’ Sadly, Ferrari handed away, so I’m calling you to be president of Ferrari.”
An indication of the mutual respect between Ferrari and Agnelli?
“Sure, there was excessive respect between the 2, in any case, Lawyer Agnelli was an unimaginable admirer of those lovely and high-performance automobiles, and on the similar time, Ferrari was an incredible connoisseur of vehicles, he even knew the event of Fiat automobiles and typically would voice his opinion.”
Your presidency was a bit sophisticated, a minimum of from a sports activities perspective.
“It’s true, and it’s proper to separate the 2 points. My presidency, from an industrial standpoint, was an unlimited success, as a result of after I left Ferrari, the web price was nearly equal to the turnover, and the web monetary place was half of the turnover, so it was an organization full of cash and in addition had unimaginable profitability, I’d say monumental, I consider they nonetheless don’t have web revenue percentages on the stability sheet as excessive as these, in fact, when in comparison with the worldwide numbers, that are very completely different. From a sports activities standpoint, after I returned to Ferrari as president, the racing crew was a really well-balanced, well-formed crew, with nice technicians and nice drivers, and I requested Cesare Fiorio to come back, not as a result of a Sporting Director was essential, however as a result of I assumed, having recognized Fiorio for years, that I had appointed him as director of Abarth, he might carry his information of laws, their administration, managing the individuals who adopted FIA laws, and managing drivers. In any other case, there was nothing wanted, actually, as quickly as Fiorio arrived at Ferrari, after a number of days, we gained the Brazilian Grand Prix with Mansell.”
It was a stunning victory.
“Sure, I didn’t count on it both, as a result of it was the primary steps of the well-known automated gearbox, so there was a studying curve simply starting, and we weren’t even certain we might end the race. Let me make a joke: Fiorio, along with his ‘savior’ syndrome, instantly took the credit score for the victory. It’s true he was there, however the credit score additionally goes to the others who made the automobile and developed it, and certainly, that 12 months we gained different races, not many, however we gained others as a result of we had reliability issues with the gearbox. Then, lastly, in 1990, the automobile took off, and we nearly gained each the drivers’ and constructors’ titles, if not for the well-known accident with Senna at Suzuka. So, from a sports activities standpoint, I don’t need to take credit score, however I consider I labored throughout the framework that Ferrari had set, that means a crew at a very good degree, bringing it to the verge of successful the world title, with out my advantage, all of the credit score goes to the crew, the mechanics within the pits, the engineers, and the drivers.”
I don’t need to revisit the Senna-Ferrari affair because you’ve clarified it a number of instances. As a substitute, I ask you: how did Prost handle to get confirmed by Lawyer Agnelli?
(Laughs) “To grasp the way it went, it’s a must to know Prost and Lawyer Agnelli properly. The Lawyer didn’t refuse conferences, he was a cosmopolitan man, an incredible character, a prince who would grant an viewers when somebody requested to fulfill him. After all, if a ‘baluba’ (a tough, insignificant particular person, ed.) tried, they needed to undergo a number of filters that may cease them, but when it was Prost, they might say ‘Lawyer, Prost desires to see you,’ and Agnelli would instantly say, ‘The place is he? Exterior?’ Perhaps at that second, you journalists knew much more in regards to the negotiation with Senna than I did, the identical rumors reached Prost, and for him, it was simple to go to Agnelli and get affirmation for the next 12 months. Nevertheless, I nonetheless need to make clear what occurred afterward, as a result of my model was confirmed on the time by Cesare Romiti to Carlo Cavicchi, who had interviewed me.
Prost introduced to the world that his contract was confirmed, Agnelli didn’t deny it, and we accepted the state of affairs, I don’t see what we might have accomplished in another way, as a result of Agnelli was the proprietor of Fiat and Ferrari, and he wasn’t confirming simply anybody, Prost was a champion who had already gained three world titles and was about to win his fourth with Ferrari. To not point out the well-known contract that Fiorio later waved round, you possibly can’t even name it a pre-contract or a letter of intent, as a result of it lacked some basic parts.”
In what sense?
“On Senna’s facet, all the things was clear, it was Ayrton Senna, with tackle and all the things essential, on Ferrari’s facet, there was by no means the GS SA, if Senna had signed that contract, he would have signed it with nobody, as a result of there was the GSA SA (Sporting Administration Car with shares) and never GS.”
There’s a photograph of you talking to the press in Jerez, in 1990. The week earlier than, Mansell had gained at Estoril, and initially, he pushed Prost in opposition to the wall, and that victory by Mansell in all probability value Prost the World Championship. Do you assume that title would have modified historical past?
“Sure, completely, and I’m additionally satisfied that we misplaced the championship at Estoril greater than because of the accident with Senna at Suzuka. I’m certain successful that championship would have modified historical past. Successful a World Championship is one thing that modifications the lives of everybody, the title had been lacking since 1979, and it could have been a hit within the Ferrari wave, in continuity with Ferrari, and for me, it could have been essential, in addition to for Ferrari and the Ferrari followers. That might have been the final championship gained by Ferrari below Enzo Ferrari.”
What’s your reminiscence of Senna?
“I had little or no contact with Senna, just some handshakes, I can’t say I knew him. What I can say from the surface is that he was one of many biggest drivers of all time, he marked the historical past of motorsport, he was a specific character, combining his extraordinary ability as a driver with unimaginable mysticism, he had a really pronounced spirituality, maybe that’s additionally why—now I’m exaggerating—his transcendence, he was a unprecedented man. A improbable driver but in addition an incredible man, a person of thought.”
Fiorio’s departure from Ferrari in 1991 left everybody stunned, contemplating the timing and method through which it occurred.
“In actuality, nothing significantly occurred, in 1991, I left as a result of I hadn’t gained the World Championship in three years, and I assumed it was proper to resign from Ferrari, particularly since there have been divisions throughout the firm that I didn’t like, and the identical will be mentioned for Fiorio. At that time, Ferrari was really being managed by an government committee, I had a robust voice, however so did Romiti and Montezemolo, and it was thought that maybe it was higher to begin over as a result of the connection with Prost was changing into a bit strained (he can be dismissed after the Japanese GP, the penultimate race of the 12 months, ed.), I’d say it was nearly the pure finish of an exhausted relationship. And so far as I’m involved, whereas the years spent with Ferrari have been great, the final three years as president have been robust, evidently, there have been others who didn’t assume I needs to be Ferrari’s successor. If Prost had gained, they wouldn’t have come to congratulate me for the victory, however they might have requested me why Mansell didn’t end.”
Now Hamilton is arriving at Ferrari, at 40 years previous. Is it too late?
“For Hamilton, it wouldn’t be too late even at 80 years previous, he’s a driver I like, he’s really one of many final nice drivers, though I don’t know his skill to arrange a automobile. If I have a look at him from the surface, very coldly, I’ve to say Hamilton is making an incredible deal, however in all probability Ferrari can also be making an incredible deal as a result of perhaps he’s good at tuning the automobile, and he’s nonetheless a improbable driver. He’s an especially severe particular person, he will likely be an added worth for the crew; one might say that the good deal is made by him, as a result of ending a profession like his at Ferrari is not any small factor, however I’m certain he’ll make an incredible contribution.”
It’s proof that Ferrari’s attract remains to be sturdy, even for a driver who has gained a lot.
“I consider Ferrari’s attract stays and can stay unchanged over time. There isn’t any nice driver who doesn’t dream of successful with Ferrari, and even when they don’t win, they nonetheless go away with a sort of lifetime insurance coverage certificates.”
Do you want right now’s Formulation 1?
“I’ll let you know, within the final Grand Prix, I fell asleep initially and wakened on the end, right now’s F1 bores me a bit, the present guidelines make it too uninteresting, these steady ‘below investigation’ messages that seem, come on… There are episodes which have all the time been a part of racing. I’m not saying it needs to be like in my time, when the business director, as a result of he was the one who knew English, would go all over the world accumulating driver corpses, however these have been completely different instances, now they’ve made tracks safer, they’ve made the cockpits extraordinarily secure, however let these drivers combat a bit. If somebody places their wheels a centimeter off the road, they get penalized, these monitor limits are insufferable, identical to a lot of the ‘below investigation.’”
Since you like music, I’ll say: Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven. Which drivers do you affiliate them with?
“Ah, you’ve put me up in opposition to three giants of music. Bach is Fangio, Mozart is Senna, and Beethoven (a few seconds of hesitation, ed.) is Hamilton.”
As a Torinese, how did you expertise the 2006 Olympics?
“I’ve an incredible reminiscence of it, an attractive one, as a result of for Turin, it was a unprecedented alternative that modified the face of the town. I’m sorry for the exclusion from the 2026 Video games, the Olympics are all the time an enormous fortune for a metropolis, a chance for improvement. The legacy that Lawyer Agnelli left to Turin with the Video games was a stroke of luck for the town, in any case, the that means of the Olympics can also be to make structural investments that affect the city cloth and final over time.”
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