Mauro Forghieri
Encyclopedia
Mauro Forghieri is an Italian
Formula One
car designer.
, the only child of Reclus and Afra Forghieri. His father, a turner
, did war work during World War II
for the Ansaldo mechanical workshops of Naples
. After the conflict, he took up work in the Ferrari
workshop in Maranello
.
Meanwhile, Forghieri completed the Liceo Scientifico
and obtained a degree in Mechanical Engineering
from the University of Bologna
. Despite his initial interest in aviation design, he accepted an offer from Ferrari
, where he had been introduced by his father. He became part of the racing team in 1962, with the position of Chief of the Technical Department for racing cars.
He was later promoted to Technical Director of the Racing Department. In 1970, Forghieri designed the Ferrari 312 series (consisting of the 312
and 312B
formula one cars and 312P
and 312PB
sportscars). Under his guidance Ferrari won the driver's F1 world championship title four times, with John Surtees
(1964), Niki Lauda
(1975 and 1977), and Jody Scheckter
(1979). Ferrari also won the constructors F1 world championship title eight times.
, the then CEO
of Chrysler
, who had bought the Emilian
car firm Lamborghini
.
In that organisation, which had the ex-Ferrari Daniele Audetto
as sports director, Forghieri designed a V12 aspirated engine, which competed in the 1989 F1 championship on a Larrousse
car (driven by Philippe Alliot
).
Following the encouraging performance of the engine, the project of designing a whole car was conceived, thanks to financing by the Mexican
businessman Fernando Gonzalez Luna. The car, whose bodywork was designed by Mario Tolentino, was slated for a 1991 debut, but the day before the official presentation to the press, Gonzalez Luna disappeared with a conspicuous amount of money that had been paid by sponsors. Nevertheless, the car debuted thanks to financing by Carlo Patrucco, of the newly created Modena Team (also known as Lambo).
The latter was an unsuccessful enterprise, however, and Forghieri left Lamborghini soon afterwards. In 1992, he became the technical director of the re-emerging Bugatti
, where he stayed until 1994. In the same year, he was also called as an expert in the trial relating to the death
of driver Ayrton Senna
on the Imola track
.
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...
Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
car designer.
Early life and Ferrari
Forghieri was born in ModenaModena
Modena is a city and comune on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy....
, the only child of Reclus and Afra Forghieri. His father, a turner
Turning
Turning is the process whereby a single point cutting tool is parallel to the surface. It can be done manually, in a traditional form of lathe, which frequently requires continuous supervision by the operator, or by using a computer controlled and automated lathe which does not. This type of...
, did war work 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...
for the Ansaldo mechanical workshops of Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
. After the conflict, he took up work in the 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...
workshop in Maranello
Maranello
Maranello is a town and comune in the region of Emilia-Romagna in Northern Italy, 18 km from Modena, with a population of 16,841 as of 2009. It is best known as the home of Ferrari S.p.A. and the Scuderia Ferrari Formula One racing team...
.
Meanwhile, Forghieri completed the Liceo Scientifico
Liceo Scientifico
Liceo Scientifico is a secondary school type in Italy. Along with Liceo Classico, it is considered the peak of the Italian upper secondary education. The access to this school is possible after the successful completion of the three year middle school and the corresponding final examination...
and obtained a degree in Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
from the University of Bologna
University of Bologna
The Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna is the oldest continually operating university in the world, the word 'universitas' being first used by this institution at its foundation. The true date of its founding is uncertain, but believed by most accounts to have been 1088...
. Despite his initial interest in aviation design, he accepted an offer from 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...
, where he had been introduced by his father. He became part of the racing team in 1962, with the position of Chief of the Technical Department for racing cars.
He was later promoted to Technical Director of the Racing Department. In 1970, Forghieri designed the Ferrari 312 series (consisting of the 312
Ferrari 312
The Ferrari 312 was a racing car used in Formula One from 1966 to 1969, designed by Mauro Forghieri.For the 1966 Formula One season, there was a change in the technical regulations, now allowing 3000 cm³ engines...
and 312B
Ferrari 312B
The Ferrari 312B was a series of Formula One racing car models, designed and built by Scuderia Ferrari. It was the successor to the Ferrari 312 and was used from 1970 until early 1975...
formula one cars and 312P
Ferrari 312P
The Ferrari 312P was a Group 6 Prototype-Sports Car made by Ferrari, which was raced in 1969 and 1970. It was part of the Ferrari P series of Prototype-Sports Cars.-History:...
and 312PB
Ferrari 312PB
The Ferrari 312PB was a Group 6 Prototype-Sports Car introduced in 1971 by Italian carmaker Ferrari. It was officially designated the 312P, but often known as the 312PB to avoid confusion with a previous car of the same name...
sportscars). Under his guidance Ferrari won the driver's F1 world championship title four times, with John Surtees
John Surtees
John Surtees, OBE is a British former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and Formula One driver from England. He was 500cc motorcycle World Champion in 1956 and 1958–60, Formula One World Champion in 1964, and remains the only person to have won World Championships on both two and four wheels...
(1964), Niki Lauda
Niki Lauda
Andreas Nikolaus "Niki" Lauda is an Austrian former Formula One racing driver and three-time F1 World Champion. More recently an aviation entrepreneur, he has founded and run two airlines and was manager of the Jaguar Formula One racing team for two years.- Early years in racing :Born in Vienna,...
(1975 and 1977), and Jody Scheckter
Jody Scheckter
Jody David Scheckter is a South African former auto racing driver, the Formula One World Drivers Champion.-Career:Scheckter was born in East London, South Africa and educated at Selborne College.-Formula One:...
(1979). Ferrari also won the constructors F1 world championship title eight times.
Lamborghini and Bugatti
After leaving Ferrari in 1987, Forghieri joined Lamborghini Engineering, a department created by Lee IacoccaLee Iacocca
Lido Anthony "Lee" Iacocca is an American businessman known for engineering the Mustang, the unsuccessful Ford Pinto, being fired from Ford Motor Company, and his revival of the Chrysler Corporation in the 1980s...
, the then CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
, who had bought the Emilian
Emilia (region of Italy)
Emilia is a historical region of northern Italy which approximately corresponds to the western and north-eastern portions of today’s Emilia-Romagna region...
car firm Lamborghini
Lamborghini
Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., commonly referred to as Lamborghini , is an Italian car manufacturer. The company was founded by manufacturing magnate Ferruccio Lamborghini in 1963, with the objective of producing a refined grand touring car to compete with established offerings from marques like...
.
In that organisation, which had the ex-Ferrari Daniele Audetto
Daniele Audetto
Daniele Audetto is an Italian racing manager and former rallycar driver and sponsorship management executive. Previously, he was a managing director at the Super Aguri F1 team. He was formerly a racing manager with FIAT and Arrows....
as sports director, Forghieri designed a V12 aspirated engine, which competed in the 1989 F1 championship on a Larrousse
Larrousse
Larrousse Formula One was a motorsports racing team founded in 1987 by Didier Calmels and former racer Gérard Larrousse, originally under the name Larrousse & Calmels. It was based in Antony, in the southern suburbs of Paris. It was renamed Larrousse after the departure of Calmels for legal reasons...
car (driven by Philippe Alliot
Philippe Alliot
Philippe Alliot is a former racing driver who participated in Formula One from to and from to . He raced for RAM, Ligier, Larrousse and McLaren....
).
Following the encouraging performance of the engine, the project of designing a whole car was conceived, thanks to financing by the Mexican
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...
businessman Fernando Gonzalez Luna. The car, whose bodywork was designed by Mario Tolentino, was slated for a 1991 debut, but the day before the official presentation to the press, Gonzalez Luna disappeared with a conspicuous amount of money that had been paid by sponsors. Nevertheless, the car debuted thanks to financing by Carlo Patrucco, of the newly created Modena Team (also known as Lambo).
The latter was an unsuccessful enterprise, however, and Forghieri left Lamborghini soon afterwards. In 1992, he became the technical director of the re-emerging Bugatti
Bugatti
Automobiles E. Bugatti was a French car manufacturer founded in 1909 in Molsheim, Alsace, as a manufacturer of high-performance automobiles by Italian-born Ettore Bugatti....
, where he stayed until 1994. In the same year, he was also called as an expert in the trial relating to the death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
of driver Ayrton Senna
Ayrton Senna
Ayrton Senna da Silva was a Brazilian racing driver. A three-time Formula One world champion, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time...
on the Imola track
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
The Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari is an auto racing circuit near the Italian town of Imola, east of Bologna and east of the Ferrari factory in Maranello....
.