The day I met Enzo Ferrari: Part two

In the old days, visiting Ferrari depended on the good offices of Dottore Franco Gozzi who was officially Ferrari’s Press Officer but in truth was Enzo’s advisor and confidant. ‘Ferrari’s lieutenant,’ he called himself.

Before I left Sydney in 1973, I’d edited an Australian car magazine. I’d sent issues containing Ferraris to Dr Gozzi and received polite replies in return. Now I tried the big one: might I visit the factory, see the racing department, go out with a test driver, meet Mr Ferrari… Not too much to ask, perhaps?

‘Certainly,’ replied the exuberant Franco, who was then 40. ‘Call me when you’re in Modena and we can arrange it.’ Of course, he was known to jest ‘Remember, I’m a terrible liar,’ and laugh heartily. As I’d learn down the years, it was just part of keeping you on tenterhooks.