Nicola Materazzi

Ing. Nicola Materazzi (born outside Salerno 28th January 1939) graduates in Mechanical Engineering at Naples University and works for a short period teaching technical drawing. His first industrial work placement begins in a nearby oil refinery owned by Mobil Oil. Here he acquires technical know-how relating to fuels and lubricants, a skill which will later make him one of the most knowledgeable in the racing paddock during his Ferrari Corse tenure.

After completing the compulsory military service he sends an application to Lancia in Turin and with much surprise receives a reply from the Human Resources person inviting him to discuss an entry in the Analysis Department (Ufficio Calcoli). From 1971 he is made responsible for the Stratos project, supporting all its rally and race track development.

1978 sees the unification of the Lancia and Fiat race departments and Materazzi's assignment to Abarth where he follows the Formula Fiat Abarth project. The Fiat culture is not his favourite and at the end of the year he joins Osella to follow the F2 project and its first foray into Formula 1.

At the end of '79 he joins Ferrari Gestione Sportiva as Head of the Technical Office and in 1982 he moves into the Road Car division (Gestione Industriale) with the same role. During the 1979-1988 period he works on several engines such as the 126 powering the F1 cars of Regazzoni and Villeneuve, the 268 used in the Lancia LC2 and a number of successful vehicles: 412 GT, 328, 208 Turbo, Testarossa, 288 GTO, 288 GTO Evoluzione, F40.

Having always respected and appreciated Enzo Ferrari's charisma, after the death of the Commendatore, Materazzi finds Fiat's management style and influence on Ferrari a good enough reason to leave. He works as a consultant for a number of companies in the sectors of engines, automobiles and motorcycles. Cagiva hires him as Director of the Race Division for the 1990 and 1991 seasons. At the end of 1991 he is asked to be Technical Director at Bugatti to help with several issues in the EB110's development after the departure of Paolo Stanzani. From 1994 he works again as a consultant until taking on the Technical Director role for Laverda for the design of the new 750cc liquid-cooled engine. In 1999 with a handful of ex-Bugatti Campogalliano engineers he undertakes the design of the Edonis which is presented in Modena on the 1st of January 2001.

During the presentation of the 288 GTO

During the presentation of the F40