|
Q: What was it like working at Alfa Romeo and Autodelta back then?
A: There was a lot of respect for those who were our seniors and had been there for some time. They were considered the Maestros. We could assist them, but before we could put our hands on a motor, transmission, or any other part, we had to earn their trust. And it wasn’t easy, especially at Autodelta where they took great pride in their products and scrutinized every little intervention.
At that time, the head of Autodelta was Carlo Chiti, a real tough guy. But it was beautiful working in those conditions, because you truly learned.
Q: What cars did you work on then?
A: In those years, I worked on the 2000 Touring and the 2600 Touring at Alfa Romeo, and in Autodelta I worked on the Tipo 33 Stradale and the GTA. Every time the GTAs raced, they would finish in the top three.
Q: After Autodelta?
A: I went back to Alfa Romeo and became a test driver. Every car that would leave the assembly line would be test-driven around an internal track, and the test drivers would then report any issues.
Q: As a test driver you also spent some time abroad, right?
A: Yes, I did a lot of testing in Finland in the cold as well as in the US.
Q: What was your experience like in the US?
A: Between 1988 and 1990 I spent a lot of time in the US to adapt and test drive the Alfa Romeo 75 [aka Milano in the US] and the 164 for the American market. They had different regulations than in Europe, so modifications to suspension, tires, catalytic converters, and others had to be made. And we had to test in the cold and hot environments of the US.
I have to say that right from the beginning, I was always made to feel very welcome by Americans, perhaps because I’m Italian and was driving an Alfa!
Q: What was it like driving in the US?
A: Whenever I drove on public roads in my Alfa, someone in an American muscle car would always challenge me to a race. I would always win, of course! I had to uphold the Alfa Romeo image, after all.
At the end of each race, they would ask to see the Alfa up close. They were very fascinated by the Alfa.
Click to the next page to read about Giorgio's favorite memory from working at Alfa Romeo.
|
