introduction on
Dominique J. F. Lahuec:
Back in 1987 I was only 60 kms away from Mas du Clos and wanted to visit a
"collection of racing cars". By phone I was told none of the cars should have been there.
So I cancelled my trip. In 1988 again in the same place I had Mr. Pierre Bardinon on the
phone. He allowed me a visit for the next day. I was the only visitor at Mas du Clos and
Monsieur Pierreshowed me round in his collection of the finest Ferraris of the world
for more than an hour. He even allowed me to sit into his 250 GTO series 1 and we both opened
the leather straps to clear the hood for looking into the 12-cylinder's engine bay. Since I
visited nearly every year Mas du Clos and that puts a stamp on you!
All the Ferrari Clubs of Europe were eager to present themselves
at least once at Mas du Clos.
I am very sad about the passing away of Pierre Bardinon (on 17.08.2012). M. Pierre, that's how
he wanted me to call him, was very important to me. He promoted me, only for my passion of Ferrari, and
presented me to many celebrities (e.g. Luigi Chinetti jr., Jean-Claude Bajol, Jean Todt, André-Marie Ruf,
Comte de Chandon, Harald Mergard, Didier Griffe, Dr. Moreau, Antoine Midy, Pierre Scerri, Hideki Yoshida,
Daniel Marin, a.s.o.).
Later I conquered also Maranello and Modena. Sergio Scglietti's son showed me round at the Ferrari production
plant at Modena, together with Cavalier Gaetano Florini. Another time I had been guided personally through
Maranello production plant. I learned to know Dottor Gozzi and the Italian Ferrari collector Fabrizio Violati.
He showed me, again all alone, his Ferraris at that time still at Campidoglio. Even in his 250 GTO he allowed me
to sit into. I met late Giancarlo Baghetti personally, met Paul Frère and had made contact to Franco Lini,
only weeks before his painful death.
After Ferrari's 50th Anniversary I had made a Ferrari calendar for 1998 completely on my own (look at chapter 10
of this homepage) (pls. click on here).
Who went that deeply into the Ferrari world like I did, may feel very lucky!