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 reside 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 immediately—as a result of years which have handed—is a bit blurry, however it deserves to be revisited, as a result of yesterday’s Ferrari additionally helps us perceive and respect immediately’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?“To begin with, let’s say that I’ve at all times been enthusiastic about racing and Ferrari specifically, so when, across the center of 1975, Engineer Ferrari referred to 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, after all, 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 had been absolutely confirmed, after which the primary impressions had been confirmed over time, we grew to become superb pals, he referred to as me each 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 a beautiful, easy-to-drive automobile. I virtually lived alongside Enzo Ferrari for 5 years, respiratory the historical past of motorsport.”
What was your relationship like with Mauro Forghieri?“Incredible, furthermore, we had been neighbors, and on Sunday afternoons, we frequently met with our households. Modenese persons are great to me as a result of they’re nice employees, however in addition they know the right way to reside nicely, so we’d meet and say ‘Shall we now have dinner collectively tonight?’ and infrequently on Sunday night, we dined with wives and youngsters. An excellent man, Forghieri, he was somebody who spoke his thoughts, a particularly honest particular person. One proven fact that hasn’t at all times come out within the newspapers is that one in every of Engineer Ferrari’s nice insights was to create a crew with three elementary parts: the primary was to care for the event of the automobile of the second, and that was performed by Rocchi, the second handled meeting and engine growth and automobile meeting, entrusted to Engineer Bussi, and the third labored on the event of the automobile of the long run, entrusted to Forghieri. So Ferrari had divided the Sporting Administration into three important sectors, after which Forghieri, moreover specializing in the long run, additionally took care of no matter he needed, it was inevitable, he was made that manner.”
In 1988, after the demise of the Engineer, you had been appointed president of Ferrari. How did the decision come?“I used to be summoned by Lawyer Agnelli, who informed me, ‘Look Fusaro, Ferrari at all times informed me that it’s best to 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 stunning and high-performance vehicles, and on the similar time, Ferrari was a fantastic connoisseur of vehicles, he even knew the event of Fiat vehicles and generally would voice his opinion.”
Your presidency was a bit difficult, not less than from a sports activities perspective.“It’s true, and it’s proper to separate the 2 features. My presidency, from an industrial perspective, was an unlimited success, as a result of after I left Ferrari, the online value was nearly equal to the turnover, and the online monetary place was half of the turnover, so it was an organization full of cash and likewise had unimaginable profitability, I’d say huge, I consider they nonetheless don’t have web revenue percentages on the stability sheet as excessive as these, after all, when in comparison with the worldwide numbers, that are very completely different. From a sports activities perspective, 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 may convey his information of laws, their administration, managing the individuals who adopted FIA laws, and managing drivers. In any other case, there was nothing wanted, the truth is, as quickly as Fiorio arrived at Ferrari, after a couple 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 computerized gearbox, so there was a studying curve simply starting, and we weren’t even certain we’d 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 yr 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 perspective, I don’t wish to take credit score, however I consider I labored inside the framework that Ferrari had set, which means a crew at a superb degree, bringing it to the verge of successful the world title, with out my benefit, all of the credit score goes to the crew, the mechanics within the pits, the engineers, and the drivers.”
I don’t wish to revisit the Senna-Ferrari affair because you’ve clarified it a number of occasions. As an alternative, 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 nicely. The Lawyer didn’t refuse conferences, he was a sophisticated man, a fantastic character, a prince who would grant an viewers when somebody requested to satisfy him. In fact, 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’d say ‘Lawyer, Prost desires to see you,’ and Agnelli would instantly say, ‘The place is he? Outdoors?’ Perhaps at that second, you journalists knew much more concerning 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 yr. Nevertheless, I nonetheless wish 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 scenario, I don’t see what we may have performed otherwise, 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 may’t even name it a pre-contract or a letter of intent, as a result of it lacked some elementary parts.”
In what sense?“On Senna’s aspect, the whole lot was clear, it was Ayrton Senna, with handle and the whole lot essential, on Ferrari’s aspect, 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 chatting with the press in Jerez, in 1990. The week earlier than, Mansell had gained at Estoril, and firstly, he pushed Prost towards the wall, and that victory by Mansell most likely value Prost the World Championship. Do you suppose that title would have modified historical past?“Sure, completely, and I’m additionally satisfied that we misplaced the championship at Estoril greater than as a result of 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 will have been the final championship gained by Ferrari beneath Enzo Ferrari.”
What’s your reminiscence of Senna?“I had little or no contact with Senna, only a few handshakes, I can’t say I knew him. What I can say from the surface is that he was one of many best drivers of all time, he marked the historical past of motorsport, he was a selected 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 rare man. A implausible driver but additionally a fantastic man, a person of thought.”
Fiorio’s departure from Ferrari in 1991 left everybody shocked, contemplating the timing and method by 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 inside the firm that I didn’t like, and the identical will be mentioned for Fiorio. At that time, Ferrari was truly being managed by an govt 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 could be dismissed after the Japanese GP, the penultimate race of the yr, 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 had been great, the final three years as president had been robust, evidently, there have been others who didn’t suppose I ought to be Ferrari’s successor. If Prost had gained, they wouldn’t have come to congratulate me for the victory, however they’d 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 am keen on, he’s actually one of many final nice drivers, though I don’t know his capability to arrange a automobile. If I take a look at him from the surface, very coldly, I’ve to say Hamilton is making a fantastic deal, however most likely Ferrari can be making a fantastic deal as a result of possibly he’s good at tuning the automobile, and he’s nonetheless a implausible driver. He’s a particularly severe particular person, he will likely be an added worth for the crew; one may 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 a fantastic 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 is no such thing as a nice driver who doesn’t dream of successful with Ferrari, and even when they don’t win, they nonetheless depart with a type of lifetime insurance coverage certificates.”
Do you want immediately’s Formulation 1?“I’ll let you know, within the final Grand Prix, I fell asleep firstly and awakened on the end, immediately’s F1 bores me a bit, the present guidelines make it too boring, these steady ‘beneath investigation’ messages that seem, come on… There are episodes which have at all times been a part of racing. I’m not saying it ought to be like in my time, when the industrial director, as a result of he was the one who knew English, would go world wide gathering driver corpses, however these had been completely different occasions, 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 observe limits are insufferable, similar to a lot of the ‘beneath 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 towards 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 a fantastic reminiscence of it, an attractive one, as a result of for Turin, it was a rare alternative that modified the face of the town. I’m sorry for the exclusion from the 2026 Video games, the Olympics are at all times an enormous fortune for a metropolis, a possibility for growth. The legacy that Lawyer Agnelli left to Turin with the Video games was a stroke of luck for the town, in any case, the which means of the Olympics can be to make structural investments that impression the city material and final over time.”
Feb 10, 2025
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