Vittorio Bellentani

Head of Maserati’s esperienze department during the 250F’s pre-debut development, Bellentani is credited by MAUTO with Gioachino Colombo for the car’s design and is associated in sources with A6 development.

Vittorio Bellentani was born in Modena on 11 March 1906. The usable sources conflict on his entry to Auto Avio Costruzioni: OldRacingCars places his return to Italy to join Ferrari in 1940, while Revs Institute identifies him among AAC’s opening personnel in September 1939. Revs describes him as an engineer with workshop experience and identifies Alberto Massimino as the Tipo 815 project’s design lead.

At Maserati, a 1953 account calls Bellentani head of the esperienze department. OldRacingCars says his principal responsibility was development of the A6. Classic & Sports Car describes the A6G/54’s 160 bhp straight-six as Bellentani-revised, supporting a specific road-engine contribution without claiming sole authorship of the wider A6 programme.

MAUTO credits Gioachino Colombo and Vittorio Bellentani with the 250F’s design, and Giulio Alfieri with later perfection. Colotti Trasmissioni credits Valerio Colotti with the 250F’s differential, suspension, steering, brakes and chassis. The distinct credits describe a factory programme with separately documented engine, experimental and chassis responsibilities.

Speedholics records Bellentani sending Colotti to Monza to watch Mercedes track tests and inspect the rear arrangement. It dates Guerino Bertocchi’s Modena Aeroautodromo test of a 250F with a new engine and De Dion suspension to 26 December 1953. The report places Bellentani in the experimental work immediately before the car’s Argentine debut.

Fangio won the 250F’s 1954 Argentine Grand Prix debut. Formula 1 records that he began that championship season with Maserati before switching to Mercedes-Benz, and that his 1957 return to Maserati was sealed by victory and the world title at the German Grand Prix.

LIFE picture captions from early 1956 identify Bellentani as Ferrari’s head mechanic. OldRacingCars calls him an adviser to Ferrari until 1963 and gives his death in Modena on 26 March 1968.