Who else but Ferrari could turn on such a magnificent birthday party? Four days of celebrations at Maranello and the company’s own test track at nearby Fiorano to mark the Prancing Horse’s 60th anniversary.
Said Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, president of Ferrari S.p.A. since 1991, “This is an important weekend, because we are celebrating 60 years of work and extraordinary moments in our history. In all those years, we have always tried to look ahead, but without ever losing sight of the legacy of Enzo Ferrari.”
The weekend had a cast of thousands—literally. Beginning with over 1,000 vintage Ferraris that traveled to the heart of Italian motorsport from all over the world especially to be at the party, there was the chance to see and hear some of the greatest cars that have made Ferrari so incredibly famous, driven by the stars of today and yesterday; to visit secret Maranello departments in which no outsider had previously set foot; to the around-the-world relay by 10,000 Ferraris, which ended at Fiorano that weekend; to the world’s most powerful new 2+2 introduced, of which only 60 anniversary examples will be built; to the Italian Air Force aerobatics squadron pirouetting above Maranello in ultra-tight formation; and to a three-hour show to mark the anniversary broadcast on Italian national television.
The 1,000 vintage Ferraris, which made the pilgrimage to their place of birth, were crowded onto the lawns of Fiorano and the circuit was awash with pavilions and tents showcasing the cars that traced the company’s history, from the 1947 125 S in which Franco Cortese won the 1947 Grand Prix of Rome, Ferrari’s first victory, to the FXX Formula One car in sedan clothing, of which only a handful will be made. The 125 S was not an original, but a perfect replica built from Gioachino Colombo’s 1946 drawings. It is now owned by Enzo Ferrari’s son Piero, who is vice-president of Ferrari S.p.A.
Photo: Ferrari SpA
Fiorano was also the end of the line for the Ferrari 60 Relay, in which a total of 10,000 owners and their Maranello thoroughbreds drove a “witness” literally around the world, starting from Abu Dhabi and continuing through China, Japan, Australia, South Africa, South America, and Europe. The “witness” was a sort of mini-totem pole on which there were 60 plaques depicting the most significant moments in Ferrari’s history. One of the symbols will be fitted to each of the 60 new Ferrari 612 Scaglietti Sessantas that will commemorate Maranello’s 60th anniversary.
One of the highlights at Fiorano was a series of demonstration runs by 13 of the cars, which told the history of Ferrari. Each did a couple of laps on an abbreviated circuit to the tumultuous applause of the sea of enthusiasts, who could not believe their luck at seeing and hearing such masterpieces in action. First out was not a Ferrari at all. It was an immaculate, plum-red Scuderia Ferrari Alfa Romeo P3, a model that, between 1932 and 1935, won 42 Grands Prix and other top races in the hands of legends like Tazio Nuvolari, Achille Varzi, and Luigi Fagioli. The Fiorano driver was ’80s Ferrari Formula One pilot Ivan Capelli, now an F1 commentator for Italian TV, who wore a microphone so that he could give viewers live commentary on what it was like to drive the front-heavy car, which he was controlling with armfuls of opposite lock.
Next out was Nino Vaccarella driving the world’s only remaining Auto Avio Costruzione 815, the first car to be built by Enzo Ferrari back in 1940. Then came Piero Ferrari in his 125 S replica, followed by Ferrari test driver Luca Badoer driving the 375 that finally beat the Alfas when Jose Froilan Gonzalez won the 1951 British Grand Prix in it, and then Gerhard Berger in Antonio Ascari’s double world championship winning 500 F2, loaned by Bernie Ecclestone for the occasion. Ex-Ferrari works driver Andrea de Adamich lapped the tight circuit in the Dino 166 F2 in which he won the 1968 Grands Prix of Córdoba and Zonda, and then came Niki Lauda’s F1 championship-winning 312 T driven by current Grand Prix winner, Felipe Massa. Jody Scheckter scattered a few officials and spectators in his world championship–winning 312 T4, which he spun twice, but Rene Arnoux put on a highly competent display in a 126 C4, as did Jean Alesi in the John Barnard–designed 641.
It has to be said, though, that the star of these commemoration drives—in fact, of the entire weekend—was Michael Schumacher, who powered his F 2004 around the little circuit with all his old flare and then purposely put the car into three spins on three separate parts of the track, to the delight of the spectators.
The thousand Ferrari owners paraded their cars at Fiorano, the hoard of magnificent machines formed into national groups flying the flags of their owners’ countries. And there was a concours d’elegance for them all, won in the sports category by the breathtaking 330 P4 that Lorenzo Bandini and Chris Amon drove to victory in the 1967 24 Hours of Daytona. The top-road-car award went to a 1954 365 MM.
Photo: Ferrari SpA
There was also a charity auction that raised €220,000 euros for the children’s hospitals of Modena and Bologna. The highest price was paid for a bodyshell and flat bottom of one of Schumacher’s F 2004s, which went for €50,000.
And at the end of it all, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo promised that Ferrari’s 70th anniversary would be celebrated in the United States of America.
By Robert Newman
