Piero again

Just because it took me a while to post this, I will repeat:
Here's a funny story:A couple of years ago, I briefly stood eye to eye with Piero Ferrari. It was during the introduction of the new F1 car for the 2000 season, and I was in Maranello. Being an airline pilot, you meet a lot of people, and a few months earlier I had met one of the Ferrari factory mechanics during a flight from Bologna to Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt. During the flight, I invited him on the flightdeck (that was still possible back then...)and he was very impressed.He invited me to come to Maranello, to join him for a factory visit. So, a few months later I took up on offer, and went to Italy. It wasn't my first visit to that area, and I always make it a habit to enjoy lunch at Cavallino, the restaurant across the street of the factory entrance. Little did I know that Luigi (the mechanic) had been a little too optimistic when he invited me over. There was no way that he was going to be able to get me inside the factory during the launch of the new F1 car. He had one extra ticket, which was only valid for either his own wife or his son.Not for me...So instead I hung around the entrance of Cavallino (which was packed with the whole Ferrari F1 division, including the drivers), no way I was going to have lunch there that day, and enjoyed the Italian chaos and excitement. After a while, people strarted coming out and there was a frenzy of photographers and fans who wanted signatures. I could recognize Jean Todt, Luca di Montezemolo, Piero Ferrari, Rubens Barichello, Michael Schumacher and Luca Badoer, amongst others. Schumi and Barichello were rushed off in a Lancia van, but Luca Badoer(the test driver at the time) took his time to sign autographs. Since I was there, I thought why not, but the only paper I had with me was the title of a car (Lancia Delta HF Integrale, for the cognoscenti)I had just bought in Bologna, 7 months earlier. But Badoer was holding a ballpoint, and I thought it would not do much harm to my official paperwork. So he signed. Then I noticed Piero ferrari signing autographs right next to me, and I said "buongiorno Signor Ferrari", and I handed him the title. He was about to sign when I notced he was holding this huge black Edding Marker. Without thinking twice, I grasped the title and pulled it out of his hands. I will never forget the way this very distinguished gentleman looked at me, almost in shock!This had probably never happened to him before....
Anyway, in March of 2002 I did get a chance to visit the factory, and also during that time I was able to take some 'spy' shots of the Enzo (or FX or F60, nobody knew yet)These shots were taken outside the factory and were published in a Dutch magazine, because they were about the first decent shots showing the rear end of the otherwise camouflaged car, including the mock tailfins. I was with two friends, and when we saw the Enzo leaving the side entrance of the factory we jumped into our little rental Fiat Punto and started a pursuit. We caught up with him at a traffic light, and I was able to take some really neat shots. It then took off Formula One-style, to disappear on the horizon. Boy, were we excited and happy! I promise I will post a few of these pic's later, I don't have scanner at home....Our factory visit was actually the next day, and the only clue of an Enzo was one under a blanket being prepared for shipping to Japan for a pre-introduction there. Hope you like this story, Mick