House of Maranello | The Estate of Renzo Medici

HOUSE OF MARANELLO

The Estate of Renzo Medici | Thirty-Three Years Inside Ferrari 

Ferrari’s history is most often told through its drivers, designers and the commanding presence of Enzo Ferrari. Yet behind every Grand Prix victory stood the men on the factory floor – craftsmen and technicians whose names rarely travelled beyond Maranello, but whose work defined its standards.

Among them was Renzo Medici.

Born and raised in Sassuolo – a 5 minute ride to Maranello on his 2 stroke Isomoto motorcycle – Medici devoted 33 years to Ferrari, joining in October 1947, just four months after the debut of the Ferrari 125 S.

In post-war automotive Italy, resources were limited but ambition was boundless. Already an experienced machinist from his wartime work building planes at Officine Reggiane, Medici honed his craft under Reclus Forghieri, eventually becoming the factory’s eminent master of not just lathes and milling machines, but also metallurgy and heat treatments – knowledge that quietly gave Ferrari a competitive edge.

By the 1970s, Medici led the department within the Reparto Corse responsible for producing racing parts. Every component destined for a competition car passed through processes under his oversight. In an era when Ferrari’s success balanced on a tightrope between innovation and reliability, the production department was not glamorous – but it often determined the margin between triumph and defeat.

Race weekends bought no respite. His son remembers how if a part was required, “they would manufacture the part on Saturday afternoon, ship it overnight, fit it Sunday morning, and win the Grand Prix that afternoon. He told these stories with a real sense of heroism.”

“What he always conveyed was a sense of mission and family. He didn’t have a “job” – he was part of building the fastest cars in the world… and a passionate, all-hands atmosphere where everyone felt they were contributing to something historic. He turned down several better-paying opportunities elsewhere because working at Ferrari was an honour and a source of great pride.”

The estate preserves identification cards, contracts, departmental papers, technical documents, and personal heirlooms: a complete record of a life spent deep behind those hallowed factory walls.

Though Enzo Ferrari kept distance from most employees, he recognized Medici’s devotion. From arranging practical help for his family to small personal gestures, their relationship reflected respect and trust earned over decades.

In Renaissance Florence, the Medici name was synonymous with legacy and quiet power. In twentieth-century Maranello, Renzo Medici helped shape another kind of renaissance: forged not from fresco or marble, but from magnesium, titanium, and championship silverware.

Offered from the Medici family, The Estate of Renzo Medici will be presented across more than 100 lots in our forthcoming Spring Auction.