All Vigil di Christmas of the 1974, Mauro forghieri, historic engineer of Ferrari for F1, he is thinking about how to create un new oil tank. A comes to his aid container of aluminium Coca-Cola...
A very special Christmas at Ferrari thanks to Forghieri
Il November 2, 2022 Mauro Forghieri left us at the age of . For the column of History of F1 today we tell a story anecdote, thanks to Machina.0 – “Mauro Forghieri Deus Ex Machina”. This anecdote dates back to Christmas Eve 1974, the day in which, like every year, Forghieri worked to the development of the new F1 car for the following season.
The year was 1974, and this also meant the possibility for the various F1 team to move to warmer lands during the winter break to do private tests. So we are on Christmas Eve and Ferrari is at the F1 circuit Kyalamiin South Africa, with Mauro forghieri and its working group. Meanwhile, from Maranello, Enzo Ferrari is waiting for good news. There Ferrari is in fact trying to develop the new 312 T of F1, which however accuses a problem which is taking away Forghieri's sleep: the oil tank does not hold well in fast curves and counter-curves. What saved Forghieri was... a Coca Cola can abandoned in the box which, once adapted, turns out to be a oil tank in perfect working order!
The return to Maranello
Once mounted, the new tank comes straight away hidden as much as possible from photographers and also from the gaze of the public: Even private tests were once very popular. Wherever Ferrari was. They are carried out i track tests, and it arrives immediately confirming that the tank thus accomplished it works really well. Very happy, Mauro Forghieri calls Enzo Ferrari, bringing him the excellent news.
Once returned to Maranello, Forghieri and his people see a Enzo Ferrari perplexed: “But what is this stuff here?” he asks them, after seeing that large aluminum Coca Cola container transformed into a fuel tank of a Ferrari F1. At this point in the reading we discover that the real reason why the Forghieri working group he didn't want the tank to be photographed, it was just his nature! In fact, as the engineer states in his writing: "The Ferrari saved in honor by a Coca Cola bin"!
This feat was then followed by the victory of world title with the 312 T since 1975, first world title of Niki Lauda.
Sources: Machina.0 – “Mauro Forghieri Deus Ex Machina”; formulapassion.it
