A mix-up with the Brambilla brothers

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You just can’t trust some blokes. In the July issue I wrote of Vittorio Brambilla losing the chance of fulfilling what was probably a lifetime’s ambition – to drive for Ferrari in the Italian Grand Prix at his home track, Monza, in 1969. Complete twaddle I’m afraid – I meant (and was thinking of) his elder brother Ernesto ‘Tino’ Brambilla – a slight figure in contrast to Vittorio, ‘The Monza Gorilla’. It’s advancing age you know – thinking ‘Ernesto’, then not only writing but also proof-reading ‘Vittorio’… Bill Boddy really does put all us kids to shame. When Pedro Rodríguez was first invited to try the car at Monza he didn’t have his crash helmet with him so donned Tino’s instead, which perhaps borders on adding insult to injury. Tino – to his credit – took his demotion pretty well. But in his own backyard at Monza it really must have hurt…