Ferrari’s US pioneers: How Chinettis ‘broke’ America with legendary Le Mans wins
OK, technically he’s American, but few can argue the impact the Chinetti family and its NART team had for Ferrari. Without Luigis Sr and Jr, the brand may never have broken through Stateside
Chinetti Jr scored his best Le Mans result alongside Bob Grossman aboard a NART Daytona in 1971. They were fifth overall
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Taken from Motor Sport, January 2013
This clearly is not a yes-man. Warm, animated and quick to laugh, Luigi Chinetti Jr is winningly indiscreet. He has just voiced his opinions on the (over)usage of the Cavallino Rampante on products unbecoming of Ferrari’s heritage and is now ruminating on the evils of PR speak. He is, in short, excellent company. But then his opinions are formed from experience. As variously a Ferrari concessionaire, racer, designer and son of multiple Le Mans winner Luigi Chinetti Sr, he has plenty of it.
In Modena to oversee assorted restoration projects, ‘Coco’ also lets slip that he’s working on a new coachbuilt Ferrari which will lead to a revival of the NART name. “I was thinking on my way over here,” he muses, “what am I, an adolescent masquerading as a man, or a man masquerading as an adolescent? I’m 70 years old and still messing around with cars. One of these days I’ll get a real job.”