Leo Turrini: “Dallara engineer assures me that the Ferrari SF90 will solve its problems”. Leo Turrini was also present in Maranello yesterday.

There was a special guest at Ferrari yesterday, none other than the 1979 Formula 1 World Champion, Jody Scheckter. The South African took the title for Ferrari on a memorable Sunday 9 September in Monza, crossing the line almost in parade formation with team-mate Gilles Villeneuve in their Ferrari 412 T4s. Yesterday’s visit started with the road car factory, before moving on to the Gestione Sportiva.

Scheckter was met at the famous entrance at Via Abetone 4 by company Vice President Piero Ferrari. The driver, who hails originally from the South African town of East London, visited the assembly line for the V8 and V12 cars, the Nuova Meccanica and the Ferrari Classiche department before heading for the Gestione Sportiva at the Fiorano track. There he visited the F1 Clienti garage, home to a record number of Ferrari single-seaters, which are looked after and maintained by the Corse Clienti department.

Italian blogger Leo Turrini, who is famously very close to proceedings at Ferrari, was also present in Maranello yesterday and shared his thoughts on this special occasion:

“A magical Ferrari night. It’s been a bit of a night like this. Vintage. Unforgettable. Pozza di Maranello. Emerald Table. All for Mauro Forghieri. Jody Scheckter. I interviewed him in March 1979, a magical year was about to begin. We hugged each other. Patrick Tambay. Imola 1983. His eyes were clear when I reminded him of that feat.

And then there was the Ferrari of today. There was that too. Binotto seems to me more and more like Emil Eagle. We said encouraging things to each other. Lotti, the head of power unit passes by. He comes back after a while. And I ask him every 5 minutes: are you still in the office? (A/N: what Leo Turrini means by that is that Ferrari’s engine chief Corrado Lotti is still at the Maranello team and not like the rumors suggested) Dallara engineer assures me that the SF90 will solve its problems. I blink perplexed. Audetto. He still believes it too. Merzario and Piero Ferrari. His nephew Enzino. Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow. Ferrari is this stuff here. Wonderful night. About Baku, we’ll talk then… There’ll be pictures, I hope.”