Gianni Marzotto

Marzotto was one of four sons of Count Gaetano Marzotto. He began his motorsport career after his 20th birthday, finishing second in class in the Giro di Sicilia with his father’s Lancia Aprilia. In 1948, he met Enzo Ferrari with the task of developing a 2L Grand Touring Coupe, resulting in the fourth customer car built by Ferrari, a Ferrari 166 Inter. He initially raced the Aprilia in Italian National Championship events, competing in ten races over three years.

Marzotto achieved his first major success in 1950, winning the Mille Miglia alongside Marco Crosara in a Ferrari 195 S. This victory was notable for Marzotto’s attire – a double-breasted brown suit – which resonated with Italian fans. An issue with the engine prior to the race, believed to be deliberate by Scuderia Ferrari, was resolved after a confrontation with Enzo Ferrari, who personally oversaw the car’s preparation.

In 1951, Marzotto competed in Formula 2 for Scuderia Marzotto and the works Ferrari team, achieving success with a win at the Grand Prix de Rouen-les-Essarts and podium finishes at the Gran Premio di Roma. He was entered for two Formula One races in 1951, but did not participate in either, withdrawing from the Grand Prix d'Albi and being unable to race at the Italian Grand Prix due to car unavailability.

The 1953 Mille Miglia saw Marzotto forced to use Luigi Villoresi’s 340MM Ferrari, which had recently won the Giro di Sicilia but suffered brake issues in that event. Despite receiving the car only hours before the race and being unable to test it, he secured his second Mille Miglia victory with Crosara. During the race, Marzotto made a U-turn to return to Siena after discovering the mechanics had not changed his engine oil, having a hole cut in the bonnet to allow access for oiling. Juan Manuel Fangio, leading at the time, retired with steering and brake problems, allowing Marzotto to take the lead.

Marzotto’s final international race was the 1954 Mille Miglia, where he partnered with Gioia Tortima but was forced to withdraw due to illness.

After retiring from racing, Marzotto joined Factory Lane G. Marzotto & F. Spa, becoming a director in 1953, managing director in 1956, vice-president and managing director in 1958, and finally president in 1968. He married in 1969 and had three daughters.

Marzotto served as President of the Mille Miglia Club from 1988 to 1990 and again from 2011 until his death. He was also the Honorary President of the Luigi Bonfanti Automobile Museum, which dedicated a permanent section to his career. The Galleria del Motorismo, Mobilità ed Ingegno Veneto – Giannino Marzotto, is entirely dedicated to his life and racing career.

Enzo Ferrari described Marzotto as “a man with a strong personality and fascinating dialectical skills” and “a real sport merchant, a young Varzi in his cold, calculating earnestness,” believing his Mille Miglia successes demonstrated his dedication and potential as a professional driver.