Originally Posted by
Massimo
Mauro Forghieri recalls a story that explains who Borsari was, a true Ferrari man from 1963 until his retirement.
An important piece of Ferrari history has silently passed away, yesterday Giulio Borsari turned off the engine for the last time, at the age of 88.
He was known as "the chief mechanic", perhaps more knowledgeable than an engineer, he "baptised" generations of young mechanics starting at Ferrari's Reparto Corse (racing department), he had a solution to any problem, was a very charismatic man and never needed to raise his voice to keep the team together, Borsari was an example for young and old.
"this is true" says Mauro Forghieri with an emotional tone of voice, "i will tell you a story that happened during the weekend of the German Gp, held at Hockenheim in 1970.
Our drivers were Jacky Ickx and Clay Regazzoni driving the Ferrari 312B, at the first free practice we found out the 12 cylinder boxer engine had problems with seized up bearings.
Giulio was in charge of Jacky Ickx's car, you have to know, at that time the pit boxes were nothing like they are today, and the paddock was just a strip of grass, late that night Borsari told me to send all the mechanics to bed, but asked me to stay with him, i had no idea what he was up to.
Then he showed me a piece of string and some sandpaper, and he began to open Jacky's engine, with precision and care he started to take the engine apart, piece by piece, and calmly explained to me how to sand the motor shaft to remove 2 tenths, but he was also very clear that i had to do it exactly right and that we could make no mistake, i was on one side he was on the other, it took us 4 hours...
"When we were finished Giulio started to reassemble the engine with surgical precision, next day Jacky Ickx started from pole position.
In the race 4 drivers were fighting for the lead, Ickx, Rindt, Regazzoni and Amon constantly overtook each other for positions, Clay was forced to retire due to engine problems, as was Amon, Jacky raced Rindt to the finish and continued to push him hard, in the end Rindt stayed ahead, clinching the win from Ickx by just 0.7 sec.
That 2nd. place was as much Giulio's as it was Ickx's.
Borsari had shown me one of his many secrets, like he did with all the young mechanics after they had gained his trust."
Giulio Borsari was born in Montale in 1925, he began at Maserati and stayed with the trident untill after the war, he left in 1957 after having celebrated with Juan Manuel Fangio his fifth world title, shortly after the Modena based Maserati suspended all racing activity's.
He received a call from Mimmo Dei, who practically begged him to work on his Scuderia Centro-Sud cars.
Not long before he left for Maranello, where it only took him two years to become Ferrari's most respected Capo meccanico, the drivers trusted the bespectacled mechanic with their lives.
Il Club Meccanici Anziani Formula Uno (Mechanical Elderly Club Formula One ) loses their leader, and Ferrari one of their legends, but Giulio Borsani leaves beautiful memories behind in Maranello and is a big part of Ferrari racing history.
Resta in Pace Signore Bersani.
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