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Giovanni de Riu


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#1 Mattthecat

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Posted 28 December 2004 - 20:55

Looking for information on Giovanni de Riu.
All I know is that he is an engineer who entered his own Maserati A6GCM mainly in non-championship races and unsuccessfully tried to qualify for the 1954 Italian GP.
And that he later headed the commission investigating Jochen Rindt's fatal accident.

Can someone enlighten me about his career?
(and maybe post a picture of him which would be absolutely mind-blasting :-)

Thanks

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#2 AAA-Eagle

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Posted 29 December 2004 - 15:28

Unfortunately I don't have any other information about Giovanni :(

BTW, I've noticed that some sources have information that he was born on 10th of March 1925 (Macomer, Nuoro, Italy), but some sources say that it was on 10th of May 1925...

#3 Mattthecat

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Posted 30 December 2004 - 17:00

Thx AAA-Eagle. That clears that up :p

Funny though as he might have been involved in some sort of role in Italian motorsports administration given his part in the investigation.
I even mailed a person with that name once but to no avail.

#4 Richard Jenkins

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Posted 17 April 2010 - 21:19

Both Matt the Cat, Paul Taylor & Gabrci on here have asked for a picture of Giovanni de Riu - well, here he is;
Bottom two pictures, gentleman in glasses with white hair standing over the lady in green

That's the good news.

The bad news is that thanks mainly to Ales Norsky and particulary to Jaroslav Neubauer, I'm sorry to say de Riu is dead - from the CSAI bulletin of December 2008 -

Oggi è venuto a mancare l'ing. Gianni De Riu, Commissario Tecnico Nazionale, componente del T.N.A., Commissario Ruolo d'Onore della CSAI, tra i fondatori del gruppo ufficiali di gara. La Csai esprime il più profondo cordoglio ai famigliari e a quanti ne hanno apprezzato la preziosa opera professionale e sportiva.

Indirizzo: Via Selva Lunga 3 - 28838 Stresa

I funerali avranno luogo sabato 13.12.2008 alle ore 14,30.


Having searched further, de Riu died on the 11th December 2008, in Stresa, Lake Maggiore, Italy. :( I have no question in my mind Gianni and Giovanni de Riu are one & the same. Giorgio Valentini's CV refers to de Riu as Gianni and the CSAI & de Riu were linked together for years.

This will explain why it was so difficult to track him down lately.

Edited by Richie Jenkins, 17 April 2010 - 23:37.


#5 Gabrci

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Posted 17 April 2010 - 22:35

The bad news is that thanks mainly to Ales Norsky, I'm sorry to say de Riu is dead - from the CSAI bulletin of December 2008 -

Having searched further, de Riu died on the 11th December 2008, in Stresa, Lake Maggiore, Italy. :( I have no question in my mind Gianni and Giovanni de Riu are one & the same. Giorgio Valentini's CV refers to de Riu as Gianni and the CSAI & de Riu were linked together for years.

This will explain why it was so difficult to track him down lately.


Thanks a lot for this update, Richie. I'm really surprised as I have seen his name pop up in recent AC Milano publications as a member of the technical commitee.

#6 Richard Jenkins

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Posted 17 April 2010 - 23:37

Thanks a lot for this update, Richie. I'm really surprised as I have seen his name pop up in recent AC Milano publications as a member of the technical commitee.


Obviously they don't update their files very quickly!

The link to the original annoucement, by the way is; www.csai.aci.it/csai/ReadNews.do?categoriaNews=0&section... - 11th Dec 2008 - listed as "scomparso - Gianni de Riu" (Deceased/Dead - Gianni de Riu)



#7 ReWind

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Posted 18 April 2010 - 14:19

Thanks, Richard, for digging this out. :up:

Is it certain that December 11 is the actual dying date? To me the CSAI announcement seems to imply that this was the date the news of his death became known.

Since his burial was scheduled for December 13 maybe someone from Italy can tell us if a short span of just two days between death and burial is usual there.

Finally: Which year was he born in? 1924 or 1925?

#8 Richard Jenkins

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Posted 19 April 2010 - 00:02

Reinhard, for the latter, I have 1925.

I am not 100% certain about the 11th, but it can only be a matter of days as the bulletins were quite regular and de Riu was still involved with the CSAI right up to his death, so I would only see it as a 2 or 3 day window before the 11th. I guess as the report was on the 11th, that it would be perhaps more likely it was on the 9th or 10th December.

I will search and look to see if more can be found.

#9 David McKinney

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Posted 19 April 2010 - 05:40

Being a niggly sort of person, I'd still like more proof that the driver (Giovanni) was the same person as the CSAI official (Gianni). I know one's a common diminutive of the other, but surely a man known as Gianni in later life would also have been called that as a young man?
How do we know the Maserati driver was Giovanni? From programmes?
Just asking

#10 wenoopy

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Posted 19 April 2010 - 08:00

Being a niggly sort of person, I'd still like more proof that the driver (Giovanni) was the same person as the CSAI official (Gianni). I know one's a common diminutive of the other, but surely a man known as Gianni in later life would also have been called that as a young man?
How do we know the Maserati driver was Giovanni? From programmes?
Just asking


Being a bit of a grumpy old nit-picker myself (by all accounts) I wonder if Giovanni, who was pretty much a nobody as a Maserati driver, entered and was referred to by his proper forename on entry-forms, etc. When he came to be a bit more of a "somebody" later, perhaps he chose to be called by the more familiar "Gianni", to which he was accustomed.

Perhaps a headstone or a newspaper notice would satisfy us (but then again, it might not do that).

#11 Gabrci

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Posted 19 April 2010 - 08:26

This PDF:

www.csai.aci.it/csaiCms/VirtualFile?id=12672&rif=DOC

has "De Riu Giovanni 28838 Stresa - Via Selvalunga, 3 - Bosco B"

while this announcement:

http://www.scuolafed...News.do?id=2250

about the death of Gianni de Riu also has "Indirizzo: Via Selva Lunga 3 - 28838 Stresa".

It seems highly unlikely that there is a Gianni and a Giovanni de Riu at the same address, who are around the same age I would think.

Edited by Gabrci, 19 April 2010 - 08:27.


#12 David McKinney

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Posted 19 April 2010 - 09:32

I agree

But we still don't really know that Giovanni 'Gianni' de Riu of the CSAI is the former Maserati driver

Edited by David McKinney, 19 April 2010 - 09:33.


#13 Richard Jenkins

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Posted 19 April 2010 - 21:21

David,
This is why I was more convinced that they are one and the same - Giorgio Valentini's CV

Giovanni de Riu is listed as Gianni by Giorgio. I would imagine that Gianni is a name that he was known by friends, Giovanni officially.

I would say whilst nothing that can be 100% certain, the fact that a Giovanni de Riu worked for the CSAI and a Gianni de Riu worked for the CSAI and de Riu is listed as Gianni and Giovanni as a racer, that it is extremely likely there is one man and he is the non-qualifier of 1954.

#14 David McKinney

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Posted 20 April 2010 - 05:22

Not disputing any of that, and agree it's almost certain

A CSAI document referring to "former driver" Gianni de Riu would do it for me...

#15 ReWind

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Posted 20 April 2010 - 06:30

Why not ask the CSAI?
redazione@csai.aci.it

#16 ReWind

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Posted 23 April 2010 - 12:34

Did anyone ask the CSAI?

#17 Richard Jenkins

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Posted 24 April 2010 - 09:06

I will if I get the chance this weekend. Also to clear up his date of death.

#18 Richard Jenkins

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Posted 27 April 2010 - 13:41

I think this reply from the CSAI should put it all to rest:

Dear Sir,

Eng. Giovanni (also called Gianni) De Riu died on 11.12.2008 in Stresa.
He took part in F1 races with a Maserati Milan-souped-up engine by Eng. Spelluzzi, he also was one of the first national scrutineers of our Automobile Federation and member of our National court of Appeal.

I hope this helps to clear up your doubts.

Kindest regardas
Lisa Tucconi

#19 David McKinney

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Posted 27 April 2010 - 14:04

Now I believe you :lol:

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#20 ReWind

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Posted 27 April 2010 - 15:01

I think this reply from the CSAI should put it all to rest

Thanks for your effort, Richard.
Maybe the CSAI can also clarify whether Gi(ov)anni de Riu was born in 1924 (my assumption) or 1925 (your assumption).


#21 Richard Jenkins

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Posted 28 April 2010 - 21:22

Man, Reinhard, you're never satisified.  ;)
:lol:
I'll see what I can do.... :)

#22 Graham Clayton

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Posted 26 January 2013 - 04:19

Biography here: http://www.conceptca...mp;driverID=213

#23 Richard Jenkins

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Posted 08 March 2013 - 21:47

Reinhard was right, it was 1924. From a contributor today initially re. Claudi Langes;


In addiction, I have verified that 04/08/1961 is the correct date via the "Agenzia delle Entrate" (Italian tax agency) data verification system: at this link, https://telematici.a...er=verificaCfPf, I have found valid data using the code LNGCLD61M04B157D and then Langes Pesenti, Claudio, 04/08/1961, Brescia, Brescia, Maschio.

So it looks like 4 August 1961 is the right date, and I have not found any result using the code with 20 July 1960 as birth date, instead. I really don't know where this strange mistake has its roots, but it is very widespread.

Using the system above I found also the following:
•it is confirmed that Giovanna Amati was actually born in 1959 and not 1962, so your website is right: valid code MTAGNN59L60H501A;
•Giovanni De Riu was born in 1924: valid code DREGNN24C10E788G, although I still have not found his complete name;
•Vitantonio Liuzzi was born in 1980: valid code LZZVNT80M06E645S;
•Renato Pirocchi was born on 23 June: valid code PRCRNT33H23F942W.



I wonder if there is a way of solving mysteries with this, or whether that's too difficult as you need all the information...

#24 ReWind

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Posted 09 March 2013 - 12:13

Claudio Langes;
So it looks like 4 August 1961 is the right date, and I have not found any result using the code with 20 July 1960 as birth date, instead. I really don't know where this strange mistake has its roots, but it is very widespread.

In AUTOSPORT's 1984 Euro F3 review (November 8) Joe Saward presented short biographies of the leading contenders (G. Berger, J. Nielsen, J. Dumfries, I. Capelli, C. Langes, K. Nissen). He assigned "Born: July 20, 1960" to Nissen as well as to Langes (p. 47).


#25 Richard Jenkins

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Posted 31 October 2013 - 21:46

From the same source that revealed Gerini's death - his actual name should be Deriu.

 

Born Giovanni Giorgio Deriu, but De Riu is not entirely wrong due to Italian district spelling variations, or so I'm told, and entry lists. After all, the CSAI have him down as De Riu.

 

This comes from Italian taxation databases.


Edited by Richard Jenkins, 31 October 2013 - 21:47.


#26 David McKinney

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Posted 31 October 2013 - 22:38

But never de Riu?