Yes indeed. Here at the end of race day at Moroso with Maurizio Parlato (Pres. FNA). It put a tingle down my spine!
IGNORANT QUESTION HERE.BUT.....WHY DIDNT HIS SON TAKE OVER THE FERRARI EMPIRE?? ANYONE KNOW?? TIA, BRUCE
Ultimately, after Enzo's death and the sale of the balance of the shares to Fiat, Piero owned 10% of the company, with Fiat holding 90%. I have no idea how many shares Piero has retained. Among other things, he is the Director of Ferrari Engineering, a part of the company which handles outside projects (similar to Porsche Engineering).
BTW, in Staceman's picture, that's Michael Louli and Nika just behind Piero's head (in the distance).
I saw him in the lobby of the Breakers on Thursday and said hello to him. He recipricated and said "Hello how are you." Seemed like a pretty decent fellow from just that little exchange.
In the photo I posted, Piero is on the left. The guy in the center (blondish hair) is Maurizio Parlato, President of Ferrari/Maserati NA. The other two drivers are Chuck Wegner and Jim Fuchs.
he didnt inherit a grater share in the company beacuse he is "illegitmate (sp)", His mother was Enzo's long term mistress, Enzo wanted to keep him out of the limelight until after his wife died (rather tha upset his wife who had lost her only son), so he therefore wasnt around officially when Enzo had to sell out partially to Fiat in the late 60's
I also saw him that day, but did not have the guts to ask for a photo with him. Wings, Your post implies that Piero was not actually Ferrari's son and the resemblence is coincidental. I believe that Piero was the illigitimate son of Enzo and his mistress and was only adopted after the death of his wife. From the photos posted he is definately Ferrari's son. This is taken from "the Secret Life of Enzo Ferrari" by Richard Williams. From all that I have read it is accurate. "Ferrari already had a wife, Laura, and a long-term mistress, Lina Lardi. The volatile Laura had given him a son, Dino, a promising engineer whose death from muscular dystrophy in 1956, at the age of 24, sent Ferrari into a period of somewhat operatic mourning. By the gentle, undemanding Lina he had a second son, Piero, who was not permitted to carry the family name until Laura's death in 1978, when he was already 33. Having spent decades in social obscurity, Lina now lives, along with Piero and his family, in the big dark house in Modena where Enzo and Laura made their home."
That's pretty close, but I believe Dino died of some type of chronic liver disease, not muscular distrophy. Pierro has done an excellent job with gracefully handling what surely was not an easy social status. He is, at this time, the only direct lineage of Enzo, and has a son, named Enzo!
And in addition to his current 10% holding in Ferrari he also made a successful investment a few years ago in Piaggio Aero. Please note: http://www.awgnet.com/shownews/99nbaa3/topsto03.htm
Thanks Staceman, I was reaching for the airplane company. They are featured in Forza I think, this month, with the airplane this site was discussing last month with the shields on the tale. It has the little front winglets and rear facing turbo props. I think Pierro is doing okay.
Speedy, Pierro's grandson is named Enzo not his son. Pierro's daughter kept her famous name when she married, which I believe is sometimes the custom in Italy. She then had a son which was name Enzo Ferrari.
Thanks Debbie! He was pictured with him at the Factory 50th celebration, I think. Did you meet him? He seems low key, a "behind the scenes" guy, like his father sometimes preferred, to achieve his goals. Thanks to the Florida crew for posting some great pics for those of us who couldn't attend.
At the Cavallino Jet reception, while we were waiting for the valets to return our cars, he was standing next to me, so I said hi and shook his hand. I told him I had a 328 and he nodded approvingly. He was very nice. At the track my wife decided to stay in food tent while I watched a race. When I came back she was the only one left there except a table full of men in expensive Italian suits, including Piero. My wife thought the Mob had walking in . No I told her: they are more powerful! Piero is Enzo's son just not by his wife. Dino may have had Muscular Dystophy but he ultimately died of kidney failure. Dan