My previous understanding of the event depicted in this set of photos that I/we call "The Ferrari Dinner", based on some tumblr post I'd read when I was first getting into the fandom and didn't save, was that this was this was some event related to Didier's joining of the team to replace Jody Schekter, who was set to retire at the end of the 1980 season.
I didn't know a more specific date for it than that, or that there even was one available, until someone posted a photo of Gilles and Didier from the dinner and gave the date as January 1st, 1980. That seemed so early for Didier to be already planning to join the team (he's wearing a Ferrari pin in all of them so they're somewhere in the process) that it surprised me, and I went to look and see if it was true for my own personal satisfaction, assuming it was actually January 1st 1981, which would have been the start of their first year as teammates.
It turns out that when these photos were taken and even how many photos are from the same day was not as easy to answer as I expected, and I spent long enough looking through different websites trying to find out that I decided I had to do something with what I'd found and bring it to tumblr.
This ended up being quite a long post, so photo comparison and analysis is under the cut
Any mutuals/followers who saw this post already, sorry about the repost but I think the original version got flagged or broken or something so I'm trying to post it again with some edits
Going from the photo above and one other one from my pintrest, I was able to find a decent handful of color photos taken at the table, the one above the cut + this additional one being particularly relevent.
Both of these, plus the other ones I've found but excluded from this post because they don't give any new identifying information, are all available on Getty Images (these two here, here), listed as taken on January 1st, 1980, and by Ercole Colombo.
You might think that would solve the date problem, and to be honest I probably should have let it, but the photos including Joann were new to me, and it reminded me of another photo of Gilles and Joann that I had previously assumed was not related.
This photo of them and Enzo Ferrari is also viewable on Getty Images (here) and also by Ercole Colombo, however the date is listed as September 15th, 1980. Take a look at what Joann is wearing. In the color photos of her, you can see she is wearing a white short sleeved blouse with a collar and vertical stripes tucked into high-waisted dark colored pants. This is the exact same outfit she is wearing in this black and white pic. I will acknowledge that her hair looks more curled in the color photos than it does in the b&w ones, but the style could have just relaxed over the course of the night. Gilles is also in what looks like the same black jacket and white button up.
Could they both have chosen to wear the same outfits to two different Ferrari events months apart to be photographed by the same person? Sure, it's not impossible based just on this photo comparison, anything could happen, but I think the more likely explanation is that they were all just taken on the same day. The question that remains is what day that was.
To figure that out, I initially intended to look for the source of this black and white photo that I suspect to also be from the Ferrari Dinner and see if it listed the January date, the September date, or something else.
This one is the problem child of my photo search. I have put multiple angles/slightly different versions of it through two different reverse image searches. It's on a lot of websites as image content, but not in actual image collections and no one wants to date it or give any more info that who appears.
Here's what I did find.
This Spanish-lanuage article on Enzo Ferrari's life from 2024 credits the photo to Ferrari's twitter page, which might have more info *if* you can find the post, but it didn't come up in my reverse image searches and I don't have a twitter account to look for it directly on the platform. Dead end for me but the info might be out there.
This Hungarian Classic F1 blog with the photo alongside some text but no credits says Pironi was signed by Ferrari after Zolder in 1980 but announced as the new driver after Imola (which is absolutely SICKENING for the narrative if true but that's a different thing to think about), which would place the date of the Ferrari dinner somewhere between May 4th and September 28th (the Canadian GP), which works for the date to be September 15th, but not January 1st.
Because there's no source cited for the blog, I went to Gerald Donaldson's biography of Gilles (p. 252 on my PDF) and was able to confirm this fact.
(the "next day" mentioned here is the day after Imola 1980, which took place September 14th per wikipeda)
If you are looking at the two photos, you can also clearly see they are taken in the same room as the black and white photo with Joann. Obviously if this is a building owned by Ferrari that room is available to them all the time, but I think it's worth consideirng in conjunction with other things that clearly they were taking photos in there and helps to tie all the photosets together.
This I think makes a very strong case for both this photo of the boys with Enzo Ferrari and the Ferrari Dinner as a whole to have taken place on the same date, however looking at that photo I think there are enough details that are the same between the color photoset and the two black and white photos to even more strongly indicate this.
Note that some of these detail screenshots are not taken from photo angles included in this post. I do intend to post all of the Ferrari dinner images so you will be able to compare eventually if you really don't believe me, but trust that it's like a slightly different version of what's already here
First: Didier. He is wearing the same Candy brand suit (one of his sponsors), the Ferrari pin, and a tie that I believe has the same pattern through the b&w and color images.
Next: Gilles. I've already pointed out Gilles's outfit, but you can also see that he has a pair of sunglasses clipped into his pocket in both the b&w and color images. I've looked for a color photo that might show the embroidery over the pocket, but his arm is always in the way.
I also want to point out that I personally think it's more likely that both Gilles and Enzo would be wearing and walking around with sunglasses in September than in January, but if Italians want to tell me that you guys do wear them in the winter an Americans are weird for not doing so I'll relinquish the point.
My weakest detail point, but one I do think is worth bringing up, is Gilles's necklace.
It doesn't look extremely similar, but both have a round pendant and are the same length, so I think it's possible the differences are just down to the photography, and again, this should be considered in conjunction with everything else.
All in all, I think this collectively is enough evidence to suggest that ALL of these photos are from the same event and were taken on the same day despite what Getty Images wants me to believe. I also don't think that date is January 1st because as far as I'm aware Didier wasn't associated with Ferrari before his signing with them, which happened in May.
I don't know why they would be misdated, probably because this is all archival stuff that was uploaded in 2024 and somebody did it wrong. It's not like we're looking at physical materials with the date written on them.
If I had to bet I would say that day of the Ferrari Dinner is September 15th, to celebrate the announcement of Didier's signing with the team, but it could still be a third date after May 1981 that hasn't even come up.
If anybody has additional information about this that I don't, please feel free to add, because I think I've done what I can do in terms of researching this.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality✓ Free Actions
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality✓ Free Actions
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
Dick Scammell checks the rear of Jim’s Lotus 25 on the Zandvoort grid while Colin gets the low-down. Behind, Bruce McLaren settles into the works Cooper while John Surtees, with Maruo Forghieri to his left, adjusts his helmet (x)
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality✓ Free Actions
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
44 years ago was the second ever all-French podium in F1 history - the slightly infamous 1982 French Grand Prix, aka "French civil war and their taller, half-Italian cousin dissociating next door". Nobody calls it that but me now but whatever, you know the story. It's like Imola 82 if they were less freaks about each other and had actual team orders, except this time the world decided Alain was in the wrong for complaining about said team orders.
I've probably posted these before, but surely not in the current quality I've got them in - and you know, if not on the anniversary, then when would I update you all on scan quality, huh?
Hello! how r u?
I know it's a little strange for me to come here (just now) to speak with you. You can call me Zu if you want.
When I entered Tumblr, you were the first artist that i got to know, and I always loved your arts, specially the villeroni ones. The way you make cute cartoonical art but some of them have so much realistic traces that makes them so soft and beautiful, it makes me feel at home. Your arts are really pleasing to be seen, and i wish I could draw like you! But if I did, you wouldn't be THE artist to have THAT artstyle, so I gave up. And the thing that you too like classic F1 is another point that makes me like your arts (and you!) even more. I've always been an art person, but I never attached to a form of art that I can actually and really do. I tried drawing, coloring, writing, singing, dancing, acting, but nothing got me. So, I just appreciate art, and your art is something I appreciate when it appears on my tumblr. I just wanted to share a little bit with you, 'cause I never thought I could get you inspired and make art with my idea. And I thank you with all my heart.
A good hug,
Marizu.
p.s.: i'm freaking out while I was writing all of this lol, so if you don't want to answer it's ok!
Hello, Zu! I'm doing great, and I hope you are too! I was very pleased to receive your letter. I'm not as good as you describe, but I'm so glad you like my blog and find something relatable in my work. It's great when there's interaction and communication. The symbiosis of minds can create unexpected and amazing things. Speaking of art, I respect your choice, but don't give up if you really have a desire for self-expression through creativity. Keep trying different things! If you keep looking, you'll find your way sooner or later. Don't think that you need to surpass someone, because that's not a good thing to focus on. And just enjoying art is awesome too! Giving feedback is also participation in creative activity. The most important thing is to be happy and love what you do. If it doesn't offend anyone and makes your soul shine, then you're doing it right. And that means you're second to none, my dear friend!
By the way, that's pretty much how I felt when I was browsing the tag and stumbled across your captivating idea:
Okay, I admit, I'm not able to honestly choose the guys in the hottest wdc competition, because my favorites are not on the list of participants. So I choose based on the bro/not bro principle. I still really enjoy taking part! Very cool idea and implementation! But...
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality✓ Free Actions
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
