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Luca di Montezemolo


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#1 HistoryFan

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 09:57

I tried to find on BB button something about the racing career of Luca di Montezemolo.

 

He raced in the late 60s and early 70s. He was ninth in the Marathon de la route, a 84 hours race (!) on the Nürburgring. He was racing with private Fiats and later for a Lancia rallye team together with Daniele Audetto.

 

Has some the whole racing datas from Luca di Montezemolo with all races he did and some information about them?



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#2 f1steveuk

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 12:30

I know nothing of his history, but I have always been confused by the sometime inclusion of the "di" in his name. We were told, more than once, and by Ferrari, to remove it from graphics as it was wrong. Then it would re-appear. Did he really have a "di" in the middle?



#3 427MkIV

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 13:50

According to Joe Saward, "the di by the way is only used with the full family name “Cordero di Montezemolo."



#4 f1steveuk

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 16:33

Ah!!!



#5 BRG

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 16:46

It ought to be possible to dig up the rally results with Audetto and HF Squadra Corse Lancia.  This was a semi-works team.  I have had a quick look but can't find anything but maybe someone with Italian skills might have more luck



#6 Tim Murray

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 17:47

The search engine throws up a few mentions of his competition career. As mentioned in the opening post, he finished ninth in the 1969 Marathon de la Route:
 

1969:
1. Harry Kallström/Sergio Barbasio/Tony Fall Lancia Fulvia HF 322 laps
2. Heint Hennerici/Becker/G. Degen (all D) BMW 2002 318
3. Barbara/Carpentier/Duvauchel Triumph TR6 315
4. Edoardo Copello/Alberto Rodriguez-Larreta/Oscar-Mauricio Franco Ford Torino 315
5. Helmut Kelleners/Roger Enever/Pierre-Yves Bertinchamps Mazda 311
6. Framz-Josef Rieder/H. Degen/Bökmann (all D) Porsche 911 309
7. Jans/Bous/Lagodny (all LUX) BMW 2002 303
8. Walter Simonis/Horst Hoier/Vogl (all D) BMW 2002 302
9. Luca di Montezemolo/Rattazzi/Ceccato Fiat 125 300
10. Georg Bialas/Hans Vängstre/Evert Christoffersson Volvo 144 299
11. Rob Slotemaker/Rob Janssen/T. Koks DAF 55 294
12. "Francois"/Heligoin/Nizet (all F) Renault R8 Gordini 294
13. Gudladt/Niehaus/Kuhlmann (all D) Alfa Romeo GTI 297
14. Claude Laurent/Jacques Marche/Dyon (all F) DAF 55 290
15. Günther Hennerici/Traben/A. Schatz (all D) BMW 2500 282
16. W. Graul/Kerp/Bremmekamp (all D) Volvo 144 282
17. Claude Collignon/Deriviere/Ortmans (all B) Mercedes-Benz 280
18. Brunninghausen/"Alix"/V. Trinon (D/D/...) Mercedes-Benz 277
19. Raab/Baier/Binder (all D) DAF 44 259


The Marathon was run over both circuits, Südschleife and Nordschleife (30.55 KM per lap)


At the time Montezemolo (21 year-old) and his cousin Cristiano Rattazzi (Gianni Agnelli's nephew) have just started their racing career. Luca Montezemolo scored a few starts at Vallelunga in 1968 driving a dark Fiat-Giannini 500 under pseudonym "Nerone". Their first international issue together was the Rally dey Fiori (Sanremo) held on February 1969 (Rattazzi at his debut was the driver and Montezemolo the co-driver) finishing in the top ten, at the wheel of a Fiat 124 Special T.
The Fiat 125S they raced at the Nürburgring was the personal car of Cristiano Rattazzi's mother (Gianni Agnelli's sister), the three young men started from Turin to Adenau in the "racing car"... At the circuit they received four new tyres by Pirelli to start the race.



besides the Marathon de la Route, data provided by our friend marhal, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo was the co-driver for Christian Rattazzi on the Sanremo Rally '69. They shared a Fiat 124S berlina and finished 7th o/a. Incidentally, Christian is Giovanni Agnelli's nephew.



#7 DogEarred

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 18:30

He gave his farewell speech to the Ferrari staff last Friday, believe it or not in the building site that is the half finished new technical centre at Maranello. Many hundreds turned up to hear a restrained but eloquent speech & gave him a great reception. He has taken his demise quite gracefully. (So would I for $25m) He is well thought of there.



#8 RS2000

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Posted 15 September 2014 - 19:02

HF Squadra Corse was the Lancia works team, rather than a "semi-works" team.



#9 HistoryFan

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Posted 16 September 2014 - 10:11

@Tim Murray: Thank you.

 

I heard that Di Montezemolo get contact with Enzo Ferrari through a radio station in which he was speaking very positive about Enzo.

But reading the posts about his cousin was related to the Agnelli family, I think he got the contact to Ferrari through to him?



#10 RStock

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Posted 16 September 2014 - 18:07

It is my understanding that Luca was practically family as far as the Agnelli's were concerned (I've seen a few rumors there), and yes, I believe the radio caller story is true. The story is Enzo was listening and knowing he was close to the Agnelli's wanted to meet him. Enzo was impressed, so along with Gianni Agnelli's recomendation Enzo hired Luca as his personal assistant. With Ferrari withdrawing from sport cars and Peter Schetty leaving, Luca was named manager of the racing operation.

 

One thing I always respected about Luca, no doubt he had good connections, but still, he was what I would refer to as a "racer", I think most know what I mean. I felt because of that he always took good care of the team. I'm not so sure that will be the case with a bean counter running things now.

 

 

Ciao Luca. You were one of us.

 

 



#11 Charlieman

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Posted 16 September 2014 - 19:16

Nomenclature: A bloke called Johnny Dumfries raced in several classes. He was a good driver and we remember him.

 

Few people recall John Crichton-Stuart, 7th Marquis of Bute, the same geezer.

 

Luca Cordero di Montezemolo lives as Luca Montezemolo, which is his right. If he had reworked his dad's name (Cordero del Marchesi di Montezemolo), Italian typesetters wouldn't have had a chance. There would have been a tyop in every sentence.



#12 BRG

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Posted 16 September 2014 - 19:43

HF Squadra Corse was the Lancia works team, rather than a "semi-works" team.

It was their official representative team, but it wasn't owned by Lancia, as I understand it.  Sort of like M-Sport these days.



#13 Charlieman

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Posted 16 September 2014 - 20:25

It was their official representative team, but it wasn't owned by Lancia, as I understand it.  Sort of like M-Sport these days.

I thought I understood what "semi-works" meant. My interpretation was that the semi-works team worked outside the works team, developing stuff on their own, but with access to new works developments. It was about collaboration. Semi-works had brains but less money to develop the car, but having two streams in parallel improved the breed. Semi-works is still working in MotoGP.

 

You can't have a semi-works team if there is no full-works team. 

 

If a manufacturer does not have a full-works team, it is playing. Peter Sauber played Mercedes-Benz very well. But we are running way off topic.



#14 Cynic2

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Posted 22 September 2014 - 17:05

Montezemolo will be in the United States for a MAJOR Ferrari event on October 12th on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills (CA), part of Ferrari North America's 60th anniversary celebrations.There will be a display of 60 significant Ferraris from the past 60 years with American connections (mostly race cars) as well as a display of the "supercars" -- 288 GTO, F40, F50, Enzo, and La Ferrari.  Montezemolo will announce a new very limited edition Ferrari for the North American market.  My understanding is that the next day he  officially/formally steps down as Chairman.


Edited by Cynic2, 22 September 2014 - 17:10.


#15 63Corvette

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Posted 15 March 2015 - 02:19

My wife and I met Count Luca Montezomola in the paddock at Watkins Glen in 1974. He kindly signed a photograph which I had taken of he and Niki in 1973.

2zf28hx.jpg

In my opinion, Luca is a fine gentleman, and the current Fiat CEO will regret ever sacking him!


Edited by 63Corvette, 20 March 2015 - 01:23.