Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, perhaps the most emblematic figure in Ferrari's history aside from the Commendatore himself, was born on this day in 1947.
As a protégé of legendary FIAT boss Gianni Agnelli, di Montezemolo was entrusted at the young age of 27 by Enzo Ferrari with the running of the Scuderia.
His early tenure with the Italian outfit led to world titles with Niki Lauda in 1975 and in 1977. The stylish and gifted young Italian then moved into the corporate world, earning his stripes as a senior manager at FIAT and at several of the automotive empire's companies.
In 1991, Agnelli appointed Montezemolo president of Ferrari, a return to Maranello that was the prelude to a golden period for the Scuderia, with team boss Jean Todt, technical director Ross Brawn and star driver Michael Schumacher delivering multiple titles to Formula 1's most successful outfit.
©WRI2
In September 2014, six years after Ferrari's last F1 Constructors' crown, Montezemolo resigned as president and chairman of Ferrari following increasing tension with his would-be successor, FIAT Chrysler CEO, the late Sergio Marchionne.
A corporate golden boy who was also a racer at heart, Luca di Montezemolo was inducted in July 2015 into America's Automotive Hall of Fame.
