Piero Evangelisti, historian and esteemed automotive journalist, has died in his hometown of Bologna.
He was 69 years old, all of whom had lived listening to the roar of engines since childhood.
He was in fact the son of the never forgotten Athos Evangelisti (born in 1923), correspondent for the Gazzetta dello Sport, great Formula 1 expert and juror of the nascent Car of the Year award.
Piero plays and grows among packs of photographs of the Formula 1 champions of the 1960s, among press kits and even piles of letters that Enzo Ferrari used to send - as was his habit with F1 journalists, not always with benevolent tones - to his father Athos.
Piero Evangelisti's professional entry took place 'behind the scenes' by collaborating as a consultant for Autogerma, at the time importer and distributor of Volkswagens for Italy.
A formative phase, which brings him closer to the 'dry' style of corporate communication of a large German brand and which he will then find himself - enriched by his great culture - in journalistic production.
Evangelisti continues his professional growth by becoming head of the press office of Volvo Italia, in Bologna and in this period he puts to good use the experience gained in the back office at Autogerma but also the excellent relationships with journalists in the sector, many of whom already met as colleagues of their father.
In the 1990s Piero Evangelisti moved on to work, with great success, on the other side of the fence, that of specialized journalism.
He was called to collaborate with Il Giornale (his 'showcase' until a few days before his death) and with other important companies in the sector such as the monthly magazine Auto and the activities of the Centro Studi Promotor.
Beppe Tassi, former director of Qs sports file of il Resto del Carlino, Nazione and Giorno, writes about him.
"In the world of automotive journalists Piero Evangelisti was a special character. On every business trip he brought a book with him."
"He loved detective stories and historical reconstructions. He was cultured, encyclopaedic, with a lively and versatile culture. With him you could talk about anything with the certainty that his contribution to the discussion would offer new elements for reflection, precious pieces, original points of view"
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