Farewell to Enrico Benzing: The Legendary Italian Motorsports Journalist
There was a gray cabinet in the Motors section of La Gazzetta dello Sport, where Enrico Benzing carefully stored a sophisticated car tachometer, calibrated two or three times a year and used whenever he tested new car models. With circus-like contortions, he would disappear under the dashboard, remove the original tachometer, and insert his own, far more precise, making his tests exceptionally rigorous. Automakers feared him, as he always found documented flaws in their cars. And Enzo Ferrari himself held a wary respect for Benzing, who would scrutinize technical details, misstatements in press kits, or engine and aerodynamic choices. Yet their debates were always calm, grounded in mutual respect. Not surprisingly, when the Dino Ferrari Journalistic Award was established, Benzing was its very first recipient.
Enrico Benzing passed away at the age of 93 in his Milanese home, just steps from the Polytechnic where he earned his degree in mechanical engineering under the guidance of Engineer Speluzzi, who introduced a wind tunnel for automotive purposes at the prestigious university.
Benzing, together with Giovanni Canestrini (who soon after moved to another publication), created the first Motors page in an Italian daily, La Gazzetta dello Sport, back in the 1950s. Thanks to him, legendary names like Enzo Ferrari, Colin Chapman, John Cooper, and Tony Rudd contributed to the page. He later became the first to establish and lead a true motorsports editorial team in the early 1970s, personally selecting and training its members. After leaving the sports daily, he worked for Autosprint and for a long time for Il Giornale directed by Indro Montanelli, enriching it with sharp technical commentary. Benzing also contributed to numerous other publications throughout his career.
Alongside journalism, he engaged in detailed aerodynamic studies, shared discreetly with engineers such as Forghieri, Michel Tetu at Renault, Gerard Ducarouge, Carlo Chiti, and others, contributing to wings and aero components for Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Brabham, Ligier, and Bellasi. It was no coincidence that the FIA appointed him as a technical commissioner for a period, a role he resigned from, feeling certain procedures lacked rigor. Among his curiosities, he designed what was likely the first titanium frame for a racing bicycle, later tested by a young Francesco Moser.
Strict and precise to the core, yet infused with irreverent humor, jokes, nicknames, and playful gags, Benzing was a supreme mentor to those fortunate enough to work alongside him. Obsessive about detail, exacting in spotting technical errors, meticulous with headlines, and unforgiving to anyone masking incompetence with style. Within the racing world, he was popular and widely respected. From Ascari to Surtees, Bandini, Baghetti, Clark, Siffert, Pedro Rodriguez, Scarfiotti, Amon, and later Regazzoni, Brambilla, Lauda—champions trusted him, seeking his insights on car behavior. Phones in the newsroom constantly rang with racers seeking advice or leaks, which he shared sparingly, gradually building a reputation for reliability and credibility in the publication.
He was proud that his son Gian Marco, a music expert, became a prestigious contributor to Corriere della Sera. Enrico himself loved music, often listening to rare recordings, including a collaboration between Pablo Casals and the Modern Jazz Quartet. Benzing was a man of wide interests and curiosity, attentive to those around him, generous with his support, ironic and incisive, analytical and always ready to put himself forward—a rare combination of qualities, delicate and careful not to hurt, now deeply missed.
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