Aurelio Lampredi facts for kids
Aurelio Lampredi (born June 16, 1917 – died June 1, 1989) was a talented Italian designer. He created engines for both automobiles and airplanes.
Early Life and Work
Lampredi was born in Livorno, Tuscany, Italy. He studied mechanical engineering in Fribourg. This field is about designing and building machines. He loved classical music and wanted to play piano. However, his father encouraged him to choose a more stable career.
He started working at Piaggio in 1937. Later, during World War II, he designed engines for military aircraft at Reggiane.
Designing Engines for Ferrari
Aurelio Lampredi's skills impressed Carlo Ruini, a chief designer. Ruini recommended him to Enzo Ferrari, who was building his own racing team. Lampredi first worked for Ferrari for a year. He felt there wasn't enough room to grow professionally. So, he left to work at Isotta Fraschini.
In 1951, Ferrari hired Lampredi back. His first Ferrari engine was a large V12. This powerful engine was used in famous race cars. These included the 275 S, 275 F1, 340 F1 and 375 F1. Lampredi's engines were a new choice for Ferrari. They were different from the smaller V12s used before.
His engine brought Ferrari its first Formula One victory. This happened when José Froilán González won the British Grand Prix in 1951.
In 1951, Enzo Ferrari wanted to build a strong Formula Two racing car. Lampredi designed a special four-cylinder engine for this. This engine was very successful. It helped Alberto Ascari win two Formula One World Championships. He won in 1952 and 1953.
Lampredi's time at Ferrari ended in 1955. Ferrari bought Lancia's racing team. Another famous engine designer, Vittorio Jano, joined Ferrari. Lampredi's engine designs were still used in Ferrari road cars. But Jano's engines took over for racing.
Work at Fiat
After leaving Ferrari, Lampredi joined Fiat. He led their engine design team until 1977. He designed the well-known Fiat Twin-Cam and SOHC engines. These engines powered many Fiat and Lancia cars for over 32 years. From 1973 to 1982, he also managed Fiat's Abarth rally racing team.
In 1976, Lampredi designed an engine for the Brazilian market. It was called the FIASA engine. This engine was used in the Fiat 147 car. The Fiat 147 was the first Brazilian car with a special engine setup. It was also one of the first cars to run on ethanol fuel. The FIASA engine was made for 25 years, until 2001.
Aurelio Lampredi passed away in Livorno in 1989.
