Luigi Chinetti, architect of Ferrari's first foray into le Mans, was born on this day in 1901. The race helped forge the marque's legend, but was abruptly dropped from its roster during the early 1970s before its recent return. Today's Great Read explores its fascinating relationship with the world's biggest race
Enzo Ferrari thought him a Milanese chancer, a fair-weather lightweight who sold Alfa Romeos in frivolous Paris before ducking the war in prosperous New York. Now, here he was, a freshly minted American citizen slumming it in the country of his birth, seeking help. Luigi Chinetti had indeed taken his chance – and leave – by neglecting to return from Frenchman René Dreyfus' Indianapolis 500 campaign of 1940. Now, here he was, after a prodigious journey over ocean, snow and ice.
They would remember their meeting of Christmas Eve 1946 very differently...
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