In 1985, at the age of seven, he wrote to Enzo Ferrari. The answer came 37 years later, last September. It is the story, told by the newspaper Alto Adige, of David Donolato, now 44, and his father Diego, 79, from San Giacomo di Laives, passionate fans of the Maranello horse.
Diego had built a scale model of a Formula 1 Ferrari for his son, complete with internal combustion engine, and then had convinced him to write to Enzo Ferrari to ask for some original stickers that were missing to make the model more similar to the original and, perhaps, to be able to visit the factory.
A few months ago, a letter arrived from the top management of Ferrari inviting David, now an engineer in a multinational in Verona, and Diego for three days in Maranello with a fabulous programme: guests in an extra-luxury hotel, dinner in a famous restaurant, visit to the factory, meeting with the top management of the company, all with trips aboard, of course, Ferrari cars.
“The top management – David explained to the Alto Adige newspaper – thought of making a promotional film, inviting three ‘former children’ to visit the factory and tell their story. They chose the ’85 vintage by reading one by one more of two thousand letters”.
On the occasion of the visit to Maranello, David and Diego thus learned that Enzo Ferrari had indeed replied to the little boy’s letter, as he did with all the letters he received, but, evidently due to a postal mix-up, the reply, of which father and son however received a copy, it never arrived in San Giacomo di Laives.
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