Mauro Forghieri who rose from being an apprentice to become Ferrari Formula 1 top designer has died at 87.
In the 1960s Forghieri, was tasked with stepping up to lead Ferrari’s technical team by founder Enzo after a mass walkout led by chief designer Carlo Chiti.
He penned the 158 design which guided John Surtees to the 1964 World Championship, but it would be over a decade before the Scuderia tasted championship success again.
Perhaps Forghieri’s most iconic design was the 312T- series of cars Ferrari used in the World Championship between 1975 and 1980.
Versions of it were designated 312T-1, 312T-2 and so the design became the single most successful in F1 history.
In 1975, Niki Lauda guided the 312T to title success, and regained his title in ’77’s 312T-2B design having lost out to James Hunt in ’76.
The car’s final championships came in 1979, when Jody Scheckter won the title at the wheel of the 312T-4, with Gilles Villeneuve helping to secure the Constructors’ for the Maranello team.
Despite claiming 27 race wins, three Drivers’ and four Constructors’ titles, the 312T series ended on a sour note with the dreadful 312T-5 in 1980.
Emilia-Romagna native Forgheiri would remain at Ferrari until 1987, having relinquished control of the F1 technical department in ’84.
He would later be involved in projects for the likes of Lamborghini, and through his Oral Engineering Group remained active on projects for the likes of Bugatti, BMW and Aprilla.
