Fiamma Breschi, The First Lady of Formula One Talks About Enzo Ferrari

Part One of a two part article:
Words and Interview by Stephen Hadden.

It’s a hot summer’s day in Forte Dei Marmi, Italyand sitting down for lunch at the Hotel Ritz with Enzo Ferrari’s favorite woman and confidante, Fiamma Breschi, promises to make it a rather compelling and interesting encounter.

As a young girl, Fiamma was well accustomed to machines and speed. Growing up in the city of Florence, she was introduced to the world of motorcycles by her father who was incredibly passionate, and together they would spend time on any number of these machines. Fiamma got to be a deft hand at the mechanics of these motorcycles and displayed an acute ability in form, function and design, preferring engine grease and metal to pretty dolls and tea sets. Something that would one day endear her to motoring legend,Enzo Ferrari, so much so, that once their friendship and collaboration began, they hardly spent a day apart, right up until the day he died in 1988 at age 90.

In the 1954, Fiamma Breschi was a glamorous young Italian actress and also the girlfriend of the legendary race car driver, Luigi Musso. It was her association with Musso, and the unfortunate tragedy that followed, that would catapult her into the very inner circle of the greatest automobile marquee ever made, and then make her the only person that its creator, Enzo Ferrari, truly loved and trusted. Now in her 70s and still the striking woman that once mesmerized Enzo Ferrari, Fiamma Breschi talks exclusively to Think Design Magazine.

To fully understand the man that was Enzo Ferrari, Fiamma decided it was best to first go back to the beginning and talk about his early years. She leans back, lights a cigarette, takes a sip of white wine and then pauses, and says… “senti…” (Italian for  ‘listen’).

Enzo was born in 1898 in Modena Italy to a poor but hard working family. His father, Alfredo, owned a local metalwork business providing parts for the railways. When Enzo was only ten years old his father took him and his brother Alfredo Jr. (known affectionately as Dino) to an automobile race in Bologna. There he saw Vincenzo Lancia race against Felice Nazarro in the 1908 Circuit di Bologna. It was this event that instilled in Enzo a desire to be a racing driver. Enzo would make every effort possible to attend all race meetings and the fire and passion of motorsport burned brightly in his eyes. It was never to leave and constantly consumed him.

The onset of World War I was a very difficult time for the Ferrari family as it was for everyone in Italy, and a double tragedy struck in 1916 when his father passed away and his brother was killed on the frontline. Enzo was so devastated that the loss would haunt him for the rest of his life; unfortunately, there were many more tragedies that would befall him throughout it. It was this that made him very tough and unaffectionate, but at the same time, extremely determined and focused.

However, the Enzo I knew was very different, he was very friendly, generous and playful, but that was only to me, he never dropped the cold, almost callous tough exterior when out in public or with his employees and drivers. I sometimes wondered how he could so easily live within these dual roles.

Enzo was drafted shortly after the loss of his father and brother, but never made a very good soldier, ‘luckily’ for him he contracted an illness and was discharged and sent home, although the illness was somewhat serious, he recovered and set about defining himself in the world of automobiles. Enzo was fortunate in that he also got a reference from a senior army officer who recognized his passion for automobiles to take to FIAT. During the interview with FIAT, he was politely told that it was ridiculous that the army expected FIAT to just hand out jobs to war veterans and was shown the door.

Enzo also applied for work at Alfa Romeo and too was turned down, but eventually he got employment at CMN which made cars using wartime vehicles. Enzo so desperately wanted to be a race car driver that he volunteered as a test driver, very dangerous occupation at the time. He was quite good, and thankfully that led to him being offered a position at Alfa Romeo in 1919. Not many people know that Enzo was a racing driver, but he was. Enzo was only 20 years old but displayed the passion and ingenuity that would go on to make Ferrari what it is today.

Enzo was so fanatical about cars. He thought his only way of being respected in the automobile circuit was to have one of his own. So without much hesitation he sold the family home to buy a sports car for himself. His mother was not pleased, as you can imagine. You must understand that to have a sports car and to race made you the chariot racer of the day. They were a gladiator of sorts. It was very glamorous and well respected. Something Enzo really wanted, considering his humble upbringing.

Everyone called him “That Crazy Ferrari”. Enzo was not fazed in the slightest. He was going to build the greatest cars the world has ever seen. His determination bordered on psychotic.

In 1920 Enzo continued to race modified production cars for Alfa Romeo and demonstrated great ability and knowledge of the vehicles. Enzo raced in the Targa Florio driving one of these modified cars and he managed to finish second. It was a triumph. Then in 1923 he raced and won at the Circuit of Sivocci at Ravenna which is where he met the father of the legendary Italian World War 1 Ace Fighter Pilot, Count Francesco Baracca. Baracca’s father and mother were so impressed with the courage and the sheer audacity of the young Enzo Ferrari that they presented Enzo with their son’s squadron badge, which was the famous Prancing Horse on a yellow shield telling him; “Put this on your cars, it will bring you more than luck”.  In 1924 he scored his greatest victory ever, winning the Coppa Acerbo. The Prancing Horse or ‘Cavallino Rampante’ was then to remain Enzo’s charm and the symbol that every Ferrari bears to this day.

The Ferrari emblem appeared for the first time as we know it on Alfa Romeo’s Scuderia racing team at the Grand Prix in Belgium in 1932”. ‘Scuderia’ is an Italian word for ‘Stable’. A name Enzo used when Alfa temporarily removed themselves from the sport but allowed Enzo to race their cars. Enzo relied heavily on various manufacturers hence his team was then known as Scuderia Ferrari or “Ferrari’s Stable”. The SF initials can still be seen on all Ferrari road cars and Formula 1 vehicles.

Fiamma is clearly extremely knowledgeable. Then, before I get to ask a question….Fiamma lights another cigarette and says “did you get that?”  I nodded, pleased that I understood the origins of such an iconic symbol, but before I could muster a word….“Bene, Bene” she replies and without hesitation, continues…

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