Ferrari Mailing List: Franco Gozzi's book: Imola 1982 Villeneuve vs Pironi + 6-wheel Ferrari

[Michel Savard (mysavard]

Franco Gozzi’s book (233 pages) is a series of very short anecdotes of 2 or 3 pages each. In CONTENTS I saw “HIGH TREASON” and saw it was about the 1982 Imola race when Pironi passed Villeneuve with 2 laps to go even though he was told to hold. I’ve read many stories about that controversy. So I thought this should be the definitive one. I started the book on page 148.

GOZZI: Since the FOCA cars were not going to race, only 13 cars started. There was a secret meeting on thursday night where Renault and Ferrari agreed to give a good show and that whoever led with 10 laps to go was going to win. Villeneuve was leading, pit board said SLOW and Pironi still passed Villeneuve with  2 laps to go. He (Pironi) knew he had made a mistake and could not be found for 3 days. Piero Ferrari and Gozzi covered for Pironi as they knew he was hiding in a hotel room with his girlfriend, he was married with another woman.

Villeneuve stormed into Enzo Ferrari’s office and saw that for Enzo Ferrari, “ after all, a Ferrari won”. That was that.

ME: Villeneuve was crushed. He had played 2nd fiddle to Scheckter in 1979 and expected better respect.The rest is history.

Villeneuve vowed to never speak to Pironi again. He died 2 weeks later qualifying in Belgium 2 weeks later.

GOZZI: As for the 6-wheel Ferrari: Lauda drove 4 laps around Fiorano track and got out and made the italian arm gesture (see picture). That was that.

Michael Savard (1981 308 GTSi)