Lancia Motor Club

It is with great regret and sadness that I must report that our great friend Giorgio Pianta died yesterday.
He had been ill for some time and had alzeimers.
He played an enormous part in the success of the martini racing factory team as technical director and was team logistical manager, and test and development driver.He also raced himself in a flaminia, and for FIAT and Abarth, as well as the Italian Opel Conrero factory team. He also was involved in a similar capacity at Alfa Romeo in ITC, DTM BTCC and Indy series in the USA.
He was also the undisputed king of La Mandria test facility, where he was faster around therethan the 2 works drivers being Alen and Toivonen in the Delta S4.He wo the Giro D'Italia in 1974 in Abarth 031.He also ran at Le Mans in a Montecarlo Turbo in 1981 sharing with Finotto and Schon which came close at one point in the top ten places against much more powerful opposition.
He also was instrumental in the secret Group C Alfa and Procar based on a 164.
personally he was like a hero and I was so lucky to count him as a personal friend, his stories were legendary, and he always gave people his time and was very approachable.I have may great memories, the two which stand out are when he was our guest speaker at the AGM and we had the trip to Donington, and on the Centenary trip in 2006 when he latched on to my group's trip to La Mandria, and convinced a Delta Evo owner(Rob) to let him drive around the track in his car!
I would like to have achieved 1 per cent of what this guy has done in my lifetime.
A true great and good natured man who will be sadly missed by many.

Echo all of that Paul. He was quite a man. Privileged to have met him on the Centenary trip and to have been at La Mandria with him (and you). How sad.
Chris

Paul, Yes – sad news indeed. I was at the LMC AGM weekend in Nottingham whenever it was when Giorgio and his colleagues attended with an amazing collection of S4s and 037s, which they demonstrated with great skill round the hotel car-park. The memory lingers on, but on this occasion I was without a camera and have no record of it. If anyone has photos, please post them here. I think he also bought the Trevi Bi-Motori, which was also extraordinary.

Colin 

Yes Paul. I can only agree with your sentiments, never having got to know him.
I too remember the Nottingham/Donington event. It was a superb weekend, many happy and great memories.
Ciao Giorgio!

Very sad news. Andrea & I were lucky enough to meet him at La Mandria during the Centenary. He asked it would be okay to talk to me about the Stratos replica, it was the first he'd seen and he was fascinated and complimentary about it. We spent a happy 20 minutes or so talking about his experiences with Alen, the Stratos, 037, S4 and Integrale. I feel privileged to have met him.

Guy

Very sad news indeed.
RIP Giorgio.

(http://www.131mirafiori.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=7086.0;attach=13765;image)

(http://www.131mirafiori.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=7086.0;attach=13766;image)

I think it would be great if anyone has any photos of him at either of the events, to post them here for us all to remember him as he was before he contracted the condition.
Thanks to all.
Paul

Sad news indeed. RIP Giorgio.

Here's another!

Guy

These are the only other pics Andrea took of Giorgio that day. If anyone wants high res copies just email me, happy to share memories of the day we met a legend.

Guy

I have my own special memory of Giorgio Pianta. He was manager of the Lancia Rally team when they came to Chester for the RAC Rally. We met him at a service area just outside the city where the cars were being cleaned up. I was able to take a photo of him with my two sons which I still have - I will try to post it. But - he then said 'give me your card and I will send you some gadgets ( souvenirs)' - sure enough two weeks later he sent a couple of Martini Lancia books! - Most impressive that he could be so attentive to the tifosi during a World Championship Rally!

Peter Collins has been kind enough to write an obituary for Retro-Speed www.retro-speed.co.uk

Clearing down emails I found this - and he's in there:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViGgVVNrhtI&feature=youtu.be

Perhaps only now have the hybrid supercars surpassed these.

David

Somewhat faster than when we negotiated the La Mandria Test Track in 2006 :o
Loved the flames and the machine gun fire!
Having been around Millbrook and how wide it is, it's amazing how narrow the track is at La Mandria, and how fast they're going with all the Armco that close, no room for error.

Brian
8227 8)

Brian
8227 8)

You were lucky to have a go as it seems to have now closed:

http://www.gdecarli.it/php/circuit.php?var1=508&var2=2

Must admit that even in 2006 some of the facilities seemed a bit shabby, nonetheless it was a great experience.

Note, Nick Savage in the Passenger Seat.

Brian
8227 8)

And the trophy for first place on the regularity event held at La Mandria still sits proudly on display at home!!  ;D ;D ;D

Wish I had a photo of the car on track from that day...

Guy (and Andrea the Stopwatch Keeper)

That's a stunning piece of film. Parts of it look like it's been speeded up but of course it hasn't. Makes you realise there are drivers,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and then there are drivers.

Brian looks like he'd keep up.

Guy,
 I thought they took one of every Lancia participating, if you can let me know what were you driving, the reg number and your entry number, I'll see if I can find any photos.

Brian
8227 8)

Thanks Brian!

See the fifth post in the thread. Car number 252 (still on the screen to this day!) and we were in Group 4 (kinda appropriate being a Group 4 Stratos replica!), registration PFY3T.

Cheers

Guy