Italian Legends

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Welcome to Italian Legends

Forza Italia: even if the Formula 1 roll of honour may not reflect huge Mediterranean success of late, there can…

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Enzo Ferrari: How the legend began

Taken from Motor Sport, October 2018 Whatever the 1923 Italian term was for, ‘On your bike, son,’ 25-year-old Enzo Ferrari…

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Ferrari’s first world champion: Alberto Ascari

Taken from Motor sport online, September 2020 Alberto Ascari drove racing cars as though born to it – which, of…

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Winner of the first F1 world championship GP: Giuseppe Farina’s Silverstone victory

Taken from Motor Sport, May 2006 When Nico Rosberg took the fastest lap in his first grand prix, in Bahrain, it was…

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F1’s first female racer: Maria Teresa de Filippis

Taken from Motor Sport, February 2012 I have recently spent some time with a remarkable woman, so spirited, so passionate,…

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Lella Lombardi is the only woman to finish in the F1 points. But that’s not all…

Taken from Motor Sport, April 2015 Formula 1 was at its most macho: James Hunt was having sex for breakfast;…

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The engineer behind Ferrari’s F1 legend: How Mauro Forghieri became Enzo’s right-hand man

Taken from Motor Sport, August 2019 Mauro Forghieri – for 27 years the chief engineer of Ferrari’s racing operation –…

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Ferrari’s US pioneers: How Chinettis ‘broke’ America with legendary Le Mans wins

Taken from Motor Sport, January 2013 This clearly is not a yes-man. Warm, animated and quick to laugh, Luigi Chinetti…

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Uncovering the genius of Ferrari designer Carlo Chiti

Taken from Motor Sport, September 2021 Bespectacled, portly and soberly overdressed – raincoat (often even come shine) and a penchant…

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Valentino Rossi’s MotoGP farewell

Taken from Motor Sport, January 2022 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1BAnpNocpQ The most remarkable grand prix career – in Formula 1 or MotoGP –…

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Inside the Maserati archives

Taken from Motor Sport January 2021 It took a long time. In the 35 years following my first trip to…

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The grand prix car that beat Hitler

Taken from Motor Sport, March 2017 Adolf Hitler was first to take advantage of the opportunity offered by modern international…

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Alfa Romeo’s ‘Alfetta’ F1 car that ruled the world

Taken from Motor Sport, December 2019 From 1946 to 1951 – for an entire generation of fans – Alfa Romeo’s…

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Carlo Abarth: the stern founder of exotic Italian sports car firm

Taken from Motor Sport, January 2009 Abarth cars have always been something of a Cinderella marque in my mind. They…

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Bringing Alfa Romeo’s V12 F1 car back to life

Taken from Motor Sport, March 2021 For 27 years it sat – up on blocks, under a cover – in…

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Rediscovered: Ferrari’s lost F1 masterpiece

Taken from Motor Sport, August 2020 To Mr Ferrari, the only Formula 1 car that mattered was his current one;…

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How Enzo’s greatest car re-emerged

Ten years. That’s how long Tom Hartley Jnr tracked Ferrari 312T no023, featured here, before he finally landed one of…

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Lancia Delta: Driving the fearsome rally legend

Taken from Motor Sport, October 1997 In the mid-1980s, world rallying entered its most awesome period – it was also…

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Huracan force: Racing Lamborghinis that took GT racing by storm

Taken from Motor Sport, October 2019 Just look at them. There aren’t many cars that give you the same feeling…

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How Niki Lauda turned Ferrari into F1 championship winners

Taken from Motor Sport, March 2005 Watkins Glen paddock, Sunday October 5, 1975. Niki Lauda is next to me in…