The Ferrari F40 is one of the icons of the Italian manufacturer and the latest model to be personally approved by Enzo Ferrari. However, few people know that Nicola Materazzi is considered the father of this car, but they will after Drive Experiecne announced that he has passed away at the age of 83.

Before arriving at Ferrari, Materazzi worked at another Italian car manufacturer, Lancia. He will be remembered as a member of the team that developed the legendary Lancia Flavia and Fulvia, as well as the Lancia Stratos rally car. Then, in the early 80s, he moved to Ferrari, where he left the biggest mark. As a mechanical engineer, he worked on the development of as many as ten Ferrari cars, the most famous of which are the 288 GTO and the F40.

After Ferrari, Nicola Materazzi moved to Bugatti, where he worked as technical team leader for the 1991 Bugatti EB110 GT and 1992 Bugatti EB110 SS. At the end of his career, B Engineering took over the development of the Edonis using leftover parts from the abandoned Bugatti EB110 production facility.

Materazzi was born in 1939 in the province of Salerno in southern Italy, studied at the University of Naples and had a rich career. The fact that he built his first go-kart as a 22-year-old in the early 60s shows how much of a car enthusiast he was. He is considered a leading turbocharging specialist in Italy.

Source: Drive Experience