During the Minardi Day, Ivan Capelli shared a long and passionate account of his experience with Ferrari, recalling the moment when, almost unexpectedly, he received the most important call of his career. At the time, he had already signed with Scuderia Italia and was working on a project with Dallara, but the chance to drive for Maranello could not be refused.
“One of Ferrari’s engineers called me and asked if I would like to race for Ferrari. I already had a contract, but they told me they would sort it out. I was 29 years old, I was Italian: how could I say no?” said Capelli, recalling how little he knew about the technical project he was about to face.
Being a Ferrari driver changes your life, regardless of victory or defeat
The adventure, however, was not simple. The car turned out to be extremely difficult to handle and, paradoxically, Ivan Capelli and his teammate Jean Alesi had two different cars: “I raced with the longitudinal gearbox, while Jean had the transverse one. Essentially, they were two completely different cars, with different aerodynamics.” A situation that highlighted the management difficulties Ferrari faced in those years.
Despite results that did not meet expectations, Ivan Capelli explained how much that experience marked him: “Being a Ferrari driver changes your life. In the end, those who support Ferrari forgive you even if you don’t win, the passion always remains the same.” The driver proudly underlined that he was the last Italian officially registered in the World Championship with the Prancing Horse, before the occasional substitutions of Fisichella, Badoer or Larini.
Ivan Capelli then recalled one of the most intense moments of his career: his meeting with Enzo Ferrari. After a lunch with the Drake, it was the Commendatore himself who advised him to stay in Europe to build his future in Formula 1. “He told me that the team managers watched the races in Europe and that if I really wanted to get to F1, I should not move to America,” he recounted. A recommendation that would shape his path, giving him the motivation to continue in Formula 3000 and then reach the top category.
The bond with Ferrari, Capelli concluded, goes beyond results: “Entering the Ferrari world means becoming part of a unique circle, a family that stays with you forever. Thanks to Ferrari, I have been working in television for more than 20 years. I will always be grateful for that.”
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