Luigi Chinetti
Encyclopedia
Luigi Chinetti was an Italian-born
racecar driver, who emigrated to the United States
during World War II
and became an American citizen.
Born in Jerago con Orago
in the north of Milan, he began work for Alfa Romeo
as a mechanic in 1917 at the age of sixteen. The rise of fascism in his native country prompted his move to Paris
where he worked for Alfa Romeo as an automobile salesman and became a sports car driver.
Driving an Alfa Romeo race car
entered by his co-driver Raymond Sommer
, Chinetti won at his very first 24 hours of Le Mans
race in . The following year, with Louis Chiron
as co-driver, he won the SPA 24 Hours
endurance race in Belgium
. He teamed up with Philippe Étancelin
in to win his second 24 hours of Le Mans.
Following the outbreak of World War II
in Europe, Chinetti initially went to the United States of America with Dreyfus from the Ferrari team, for the 1940 Indy 500. He remained in the U.S. during the war, working for the Italian dealer, importer, and master mechanic, Alfred Momo. http://www.kolumbus.fi/leif.snellman/dc.htm Luigi Chinetti became an American citizen in 1946.
With the war over, racing resumed in Europe and he entered the competitions. At the 1949 24 Hours of Le Mans
race he drove the first Ferrari
ever to win the event, and set a record as the only three-time winner of the race to that date. The Ferrari 166M
in which Chinetti won was turned over to Baron Selsdon
of Scotland
(Peter Mitchell-Thomson
) for twenty minutes during the race, making Thomson the official co-driver although Chinetti had driven twenty-three of the hours of the race. Following the race, Thomson purchased that automobile through Chinetti. That same year Chinetti won his second SPA 24 Hours, this time driving for Ferrari with Jean Lucas
.
In 1951, he was the riding mechanic in the Ferrari 212 that won the grueling Carrera Panamericana
race, a 2100 miles (3,379.6 km), five-day competition across Mexico
.
Driving the automobiles of more than one manufacturer, Luigi Chinetti competed in every Le Mans motorsport
race held between 1932 and 1953 and, he also entered an automobile in the 1954 race, although he was not a driver.
Luigi Chinetti made a deal with Enzo Ferrari
to be a Ferrari factory agent in the United States. He opened the first—and for a while the only—Ferrari dealership in the country. Later his territory became all areas east of the Mississippi River
, amounting to half of the country. The tradition associated with Chinetti continued to draw clients from all areas throughout his career. (In addition to handling Ferrari, Chinetti Motors was the U.S.A. agent for Automobili OSCA of Bologna until 1967.) The showroom of his business-which still is open-is located in Greenwich, Connecticut
, it currently is owned by Miller Motorcars, a Ferrari-Maserati
dealership.
The first sale Chinetti made through his American dealership was a Ferrari sold to Briggs Cunningham
for racing. That first automobile sold by Chinetti eventually went into the famous personal automobile collection that Briggs exhibited publicly when he founded his museum, but most of the sales Chinetti made were kept as close secrets to protect the privacy of his wealthy clients.
Luigi Chinetti also was the founder of the North American Racing Team
, an official arm of Ferrari. It became the team that established the high ranking of Ferraris in American racing circuits, and largely, was responsible for Ferrari's survival as a retailer of cars through the quantity he sold to wealthy individuals in North America. The team, sometimes abbreviated as N.A.R.T., also had a very successful endurance racing program both at Sebring and at Le Mans, right into the 1970s. In addition to the racing cars, the team commissioned many limited-run special variants of Ferrari road cars, most notably, the spyder version of the Ferrari 275GTB/4.
Luigi Chinetti remained in Greenwich, Connecticut
after his retirement and died in 1994 at the age of ninety-three.
as part of an article honoring a fellow driver, Ed Hugus. Another site presents a photograph of Chinetti at a race toward the end of his life. http://www.carlosghys.be/photographs/encounters/photo_chinetti_4_510x350.jpg
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
racecar driver, who emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and became an American citizen.
Born in Jerago con Orago
Jerago con Orago
Jerago con Orago is a comune in the Province of Varese in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 40 km northwest of Milan and about 13 km south of Varese. It is formed by two main centres of Orago and Jerago , sharing a 13th century castle....
in the north of Milan, he began work for Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of cars. Founded as A.L.F.A. on June 24, 1910, in Milan, the company has been involved in car racing since 1911, and has a reputation for building expensive sports cars...
as a mechanic in 1917 at the age of sixteen. The rise of fascism in his native country prompted his move to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
where he worked for Alfa Romeo as an automobile salesman and became a sports car driver.
Driving an Alfa Romeo race car
Alfa Romeo in motorsport
During its history, Alfa Romeo has competed successfully in many different categories of motorsport, including Grand Prix motor racing, Formula One, sportscar racing, touring car racing and rallies. They have competed both as a constructor and an engine supplier, via works entries and private...
entered by his co-driver Raymond Sommer
Raymond Sommer
Raymond Sommer was a Grand Prix motor racing driver....
, Chinetti won at his very first 24 hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
race in . The following year, with Louis Chiron
Louis Chiron
Louis Alexandre Chiron was a Grand Prix driver.-Career:As a teenager, Louis Chiron fell in love with cars and racing. He learned to drive at a young age and joined the Grand Prix circuit after World War I where he had been requisitioned from the artillery section to serve as a chauffeur...
as co-driver, he won the SPA 24 Hours
Spa 24 Hours
The Total 24 Hours of Spa is an endurance racing event held annually in Belgium at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. Conceived by Jules de Their and Henri Langlois Van Ophem just one year after the first 24 Hours of Le Mans, the race was run under the auspices of the Royal Automobile Club Belgium...
endurance race in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. He teamed up with Philippe Étancelin
Philippe Étancelin
Philippe Étancelin was a French Grand Prix motor racing driver who joined the new Formula One circuit at its inception.-Biography:...
in to win his second 24 hours of Le Mans.
Following the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in Europe, Chinetti initially went to the United States of America with Dreyfus from the Ferrari team, for the 1940 Indy 500. He remained in the U.S. during the war, working for the Italian dealer, importer, and master mechanic, Alfred Momo. http://www.kolumbus.fi/leif.snellman/dc.htm Luigi Chinetti became an American citizen in 1946.
With the war over, racing resumed in Europe and he entered the competitions. At the 1949 24 Hours of Le Mans
1949 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1949 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 17th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 25 and 26 1949.This was the first race held following the end of World War II...
race he drove the first Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
ever to win the event, and set a record as the only three-time winner of the race to that date. The Ferrari 166M
Ferrari 166 S
The Ferrari 166 S was an evolution of Ferrari's 125 S sports race car that became a sports car for the street in the form of the 166 Inter. Only 39 Ferrari 166 S's were produced, soon followed by the production of the 166 Mille Miglia which was made in much larger numbers from 1949 to 1952...
in which Chinetti won was turned over to Baron Selsdon
Baron Selsdon
Baron Selsdon, of Croydon in the County of Surrey, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1932 for the Conservative politician Sir William Mitchell-Thomson, 2nd Baronet...
of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
(Peter Mitchell-Thomson
Peter Mitchell-Thomson
Peter Mitchell-Thomson, 2nd Baron Selsdon won the 1949 24 Hours of Le Mans together with Luigi Chinetti in a Ferrari 166MM....
) for twenty minutes during the race, making Thomson the official co-driver although Chinetti had driven twenty-three of the hours of the race. Following the race, Thomson purchased that automobile through Chinetti. That same year Chinetti won his second SPA 24 Hours, this time driving for Ferrari with Jean Lucas
Jean Lucas
Jean Lucas was a racing driver from France. He participated in one Formula One World Championship Grand Prix, on 11 September 1955. Lucas was then manager of the Gordini team, and when regular driver Robert Manzon was unable to race, he stepped in to take his place...
.
In 1951, he was the riding mechanic in the Ferrari 212 that won the grueling Carrera Panamericana
Carrera Panamericana
The Carrera Panamericana was a border-to-border sports car racing event on open roads in Mexico similar to the Mille Miglia and Targa Florio in Italy. Running for five consecutive years from 1950 to 1954, it was widely held by contemporaries to be the most dangerous race of any type in the world...
race, a 2100 miles (3,379.6 km), five-day competition across Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
Driving the automobiles of more than one manufacturer, Luigi Chinetti competed in every Le Mans motorsport
Motorsport
Motorsport or motorsports is the group of sports which primarily involve the use of motorized vehicles, whether for racing or non-racing competition...
race held between 1932 and 1953 and, he also entered an automobile in the 1954 race, although he was not a driver.
Luigi Chinetti made a deal with Enzo Ferrari
Enzo Ferrari
Enzo Anselmo Ferrari Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI was an Italian race car driver and entrepreneur, the founder of the Scuderia Ferrari Grand Prix motor racing team, and subsequently of the Ferrari car manufacturer...
to be a Ferrari factory agent in the United States. He opened the first—and for a while the only—Ferrari dealership in the country. Later his territory became all areas east of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, amounting to half of the country. The tradition associated with Chinetti continued to draw clients from all areas throughout his career. (In addition to handling Ferrari, Chinetti Motors was the U.S.A. agent for Automobili OSCA of Bologna until 1967.) The showroom of his business-which still is open-is located in Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 61,171. It is home to many hedge funds and other financial service companies. Greenwich is the southernmost and westernmost municipality in Connecticut and is 38+ minutes ...
, it currently is owned by Miller Motorcars, a Ferrari-Maserati
Maserati
Maserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993...
dealership.
The first sale Chinetti made through his American dealership was a Ferrari sold to Briggs Cunningham
Briggs Cunningham
Briggs Swift Cunningham II was an American entrepreneur and sportsman, who raced automobiles and yachts. Born into a wealthy family, he became a racing car constructor, driver, and team owner as well as a sports car manufacturer and automobile collector.He skippered the victorious yacht Columbia...
for racing. That first automobile sold by Chinetti eventually went into the famous personal automobile collection that Briggs exhibited publicly when he founded his museum, but most of the sales Chinetti made were kept as close secrets to protect the privacy of his wealthy clients.
Luigi Chinetti also was the founder of the North American Racing Team
North American Racing Team
The North American Racing Team was created by Luigi Chinetti to promote the Ferrari marque in America through success in Gran Turismo motorsport....
, an official arm of Ferrari. It became the team that established the high ranking of Ferraris in American racing circuits, and largely, was responsible for Ferrari's survival as a retailer of cars through the quantity he sold to wealthy individuals in North America. The team, sometimes abbreviated as N.A.R.T., also had a very successful endurance racing program both at Sebring and at Le Mans, right into the 1970s. In addition to the racing cars, the team commissioned many limited-run special variants of Ferrari road cars, most notably, the spyder version of the Ferrari 275GTB/4.
Luigi Chinetti remained in Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 61,171. It is home to many hedge funds and other financial service companies. Greenwich is the southernmost and westernmost municipality in Connecticut and is 38+ minutes ...
after his retirement and died in 1994 at the age of ninety-three.
External links
As an extension of his secrecy to protect the interests of his clients, Luigi Chinetti rarely allowed photographs to be taken, but some can be seen on the internet, such as this one with Alfred Momo on the left http://www.velocetoday.com/images/july06/h6.jpg and the story of the meeting photographed with this employer from his early days in the U.S., is at http://www.velocetoday.com/people/people_48.php,
as part of an article honoring a fellow driver, Ed Hugus. Another site presents a photograph of Chinetti at a race toward the end of his life. http://www.carlosghys.be/photographs/encounters/photo_chinetti_4_510x350.jpg
- http://www.rrdc.org look at the list of deceased members and scroll down for the biography presented by the Road Racing Drivers Club on their site