On the event of his eightieth birthday, Arturo Merzario gave an fascinating interview to Italian day by day newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport. Throughout the chat, the previous Ferrari driver was requested to look again at his Method One racing profession.
He replied that he felt fortunate to nonetheless be alive not like many different drivers who tragically died in racing accidents. Nevertheless, referring to his total leads to the collection, he additionally wished to underline that he discovered himself in the precise place on the fallacious time a number of occasions. On this regard, he introduced up present Scuderia Ferrari Monegasque driver Charle Leclerc
The feedback of Arturo Merzario
“My first automotive? I didn’t actually have a driving licence, I used my brother’s”, Arturo Merzario admitted within the interview for La Gazzetta dello Sport – “Then my mother and father gave me a Giulietta Spider 1300, luxurious stuff. In 1962 I ran my first race there for Scuderia Lario, in Monza. It was the Fisa Cup: out of 32 starters I completed eighth with the automotive with the radio on. I preferred racing and I preferred … girls. It labored, eh. Simply think about: the others glided by bike…”, he says.
Arturo Marzario then explains what his first steps into the racing world had been: “When did I understand I might be an expert? On the Nurburgring in 1963. It didn’t appear true that I may drive on the left, with out concern of a bus arriving. I beat all of the its drivers, after which Abarth employed me. Solely that there was the army. I solely began in 1967”.
Just a few years later, in 1969, Arturo Merzario received the European Tourism Championship. A victory that earned him a name to Scuderia Ferrari: “In 1969: it appeared like an unattainable objective. As a substitute, because of my ignorant proper foot, I used to be there. I used to be a Method 1 driver, check driver, postman, the whole lot: as was the customized on the time” .
On the time motor racing was not as secure a sport as it’s at this time. When requested if he has ever been afraid behind the wheel of a automotive, Merzario replies: “Sure, all the time. Even on the motorway from Milan to right here, in Carate Brianza. Not to mention within the race. Not afraid of dying. As a result of in the event you moeret you moeret, in the event you die, you die. I used to be and am afraid of being disabled. The motive force who says he’s not afraid is speaking nonsense” – he added.
In 1976, on the Nurburgring, Merzario made a heroic gesture: he rescued Niki Lauda from the burning automotive, saving his life. On this regard he states: “It was one of many moments that mark a life. Mine and his. If Niki lived one other forty years it’s because of Arturo’s insanity. Since you needed to be loopy to do what I did. I’m a believer, not a practitioner: however I feel one thing instructed me to cease. Then that Ron Howard made us a totally fallacious novel in that movie.”
Lastly, on his current commitments: “The final race? In September, at Goodwood. However final yr I additionally did an actual race, on the Nurburgring, for the fiftieth anniversary of BMW motorsport, with the M2. Two laps from the top I used to be third, I may have gone on the rostrum at 79. The security automotive got here out, on the restart they handed me in two… Now I race for the medical health insurance firm, with prototypes and historic F.1s. I’ve the nice fortune of driving the Ferrari of Phil Hill from 1961, Jim Clark’s Lotus 21. What extra do I would like?”.
The phrases of Arturo Merzario on Charles Leclerc
“I’ve had all of it and extra, in my profession and in my life. I’m tremendous fortunate, simply to nonetheless be right here. From my era we’re left with Andretti, Stewart and me.” Then he brings up the present Ferrari driver, underlining: “Many occasions it occurred to me to be in the precise place on the fallacious time. I’m afraid it’s like this for Charles Leclerc too…”.
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