Mario Andretti & Mauro Forghieri: living the Ferrari dream
Mauro Forghieri designed the cars that gave Mario Andretti his first Formula 1 win, as well as sports car success. The 1978 world champion recalls Ferrari's "inspirational" engineer who was determined to win at all costs
The former’s blockbuster showreel is studded with epic performances aboard the latter’s Ferraris: his “possessed” hunting down of “the actor” at Sebring in 1970; victories in his first two Formula 1 drives for Ferrari in 1971; a slew of sports car successes in 1972 alongside Jacky Ickx: the coolest of pairings; and 10 years later an emotional return to where it had all began as a star-struck Ascari-in-a-Ferrari fan in 1954: Monza.
Racing driver was but a distant dream for the teenage Andretti. Forghieri, five years his elder, was much closer to the action – father Reclus had worked for Enzo Ferrari since before WWII – yet he was dreaming of designing aircraft engines in the United States.
“Mauro was one of those guys: ‘Go! You go! You can win!’”
Mario, of course, would make that trip whereas Mauro stayed home and was steered towards the racing scene after graduating from Bologna University. He joined Scuderia Ferrari full-time in 1960, was running the whole show by 1962 and continued to do so – bar a brief spell in 1972-’73 – for the next 27 years.
Andretti and Forghieri first hooked up at the 1969 Monza 1000km. The latter had been absent from the Sebring 12 Hours where Andretti and co-driver Chris Amon might have won but for an overheating engine – matters put right in thrilling circumstances the following year.
“My car had a gearbox problem while well in the lead,” says Andretti. “I had to race the next day in Pennsylvania in a Sprint Car race, so I figured, ‘Okay, I will take advantage and take off – I had my airplane there – and get some rest.’ But Mauro said, ‘No, no, no! Wait, wait, wait! I may want you to finish the race.’
“The third Ferrari [512S] was running third. Jo Siffert was with the leading Porsche 917 when all of a sudden he pitted; a front wheel bearing had a problem and so it was long stop. Peter Revson and the actor – what the hell was his name? [chuckles] – went into the lead. I said, ‘Well, if it’s okay with Ignazio [Giunti, designated co-driver to Nino Vaccarella], I’ll go in the car.’ Everyone is taller than me and so I knew that I was not going to fit very well. But Mauro was one of those guys: ‘Go! You go! You can win!’
Andretti and Ickx celebrate Sebring victory in 1972
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“His was a different character to Colin Chapman’s – a different language, too – but the objectives were the same: win at all costs. He contributed immensely to Ferrari’s successes. He was very inspiring to everyone because he had so much energy: typical Italian.
“He was very intelligent, too. He understood all the dynamics of the car very well and we had a good rapport for set-ups. He trusted me. Mutual respect, which is important. Every time I drove for Ferrari, he was part of it – and making good decisions. What else is there? I have only very positive memories of him.
“He was very hands-on. Very involved in everything with the entire team. The boss. The one who reported directly to Mr Ferrari; I remember sometimes listening to their phone calls [chuckles]. Mauro would do whatever was humanly possible to give us the tools. That’s all you can ask for. That’s the type of person you want to work for.
Andretti won on his debut in the Ferrari 312B. He’s pictured here at Mosport later in the season
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“And winning with Ferrari is special, believe me. My love of motor racing began because of Ferraris and Maseratis in the early 1950s. To race for and win with Ferrari was my ultimate goal. The fact that I won my first Formula 1 race [the 1971 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami] in a Ferrari meant a lot to me. A great deal. You can imagine why.
“Then I won at Ontario in California [the non-championship Questor GP], where Jackie Stewart finished second to me in both heats. That 312B fit me very well and I understood it thanks to the support I was getting from the likes of Mauro.
“His sports cars were also very competitive. You knew that you had a very good chance of winning because the reliability of Ferrari was well known. They very seldom had engine failures. And that was a big, big plus.”
“Forghieri had so much energy: typical Italian,” says Andretti
DPPI
Andretti refers to Forghieri’s legendary flat-12 which powered single- and two-seater Ferraris to sprint and endurance successes: in 1972 Andretti helped win the World Sportscar Championship rounds at Sebring, Brands Hatch and Watkins Glen in a 312PB.
A long hiatus ensued – but this simpatico pair dropped straight back into it when the Scuderia was rocked by the death of Gilles Villeneuve and the career-ending injuries of Didier Pironi.
F1 engineering genius Mauro Forghieri came to Ferrari's rescue in its time of need – then became one of the pillars of its success for years after
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“I got the call from Mr Ferrari,” says Andretti of his 1982 return at the Italian GP. “It was agreed that I was going to try to get familiar with the car [126C] at Fiorano the week before. I arrived on Saturday and had lunch with Mr Ferrari at the Cavallino restaurant. Then I went to get fitted in the car.
“I said, ‘You know what? I’d like to shake it down.’ Then I said, ‘You know what? I’d like to keep running.’ I did 87 laps that day. Right at the very end Mauro put qualifying mode on the engine and I set a record that lasted quite a few years. Then I said, ‘Give the mechanics a day off tomorrow [Sunday] because I don’t need to drive any more.’
“I had been out of Formula 1 for a year and was concerned because I had not driven a 1.5-litre turbo engine, which was like a dynamite explosion when the power kicked in. Testing at Fiorano, I got the drift of it, with Mauro explaining about the torque curve. You had to be very aware of all those things. That’s what it took to give me confidence that I knew what I was doing.
“Then, of course, we went to Monza and had a good day putting it on pole. I would have won the race if… I lost a turbo on the left bank. I still finished third. A podium. Wonderful.
Andretti was on course for victory at Monza in ’82 before a turbo failed
Paul-Henri Cahier/Getty Images
“Here again, Mauro was giving me all the information I needed in many, many ways. I felt comfortable with him. We understood each other.
“I was very finicky about minute settings once I was in the sweet spot of the car and he was interested why I was doing certain things: like changing the Ackermann [steering geometry]. It was something nobody else was doing. Even Colin Chapman didn’t understand it.
“Mauro was really interested because it was the only change I made at Monza for my last qualifying run; all I needed was just something in the Lesmos. When I explained what I wanted, he said, ‘The driver has to want it. You can’t just put it on the car. He has to want it for a certain key corner.’
Ferrari's 1979 F1 world champion, Jody Scheckter, has paid tribute to the team's legendary chief engineer, Mauro Forghieri, who has died at the age of 87
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“I had more of a continuous relationship with Colin Chapman, doing full seasons, but when I look back at the value I derived from [Forghieri] this great man of our sport, it was priceless in its own way. I didn’t do that many races at Ferrari but I won enough to feel that I contributed somewhat. And I felt at home for many, many reasons.
“You can’t do that alone. You have to have the right people around to help. You have to have the equipment and the understanding. When you get that, things get done.
“These are the characters, the individuals, who contributed tremendously to my career and I am forever grateful. They mean a great deal.
“Even the one letter Mauro wrote me was so touching: about our friendship and how we approached situations. No problem was a problem for us. That’s the way we always looked at it. I liked that: total positive attitude. Good stuff, honestly.
“When I reflect now after his passing, I realise how fortunate I was to be able to be alongside him.”
