Driver Change

Behind the wheel of a Formula 1 Brabham in the 1970s, then with his Apollon team and a long career in closed wheel cars, Loris Kessel, a Swiss Italian from Lugano, was loved by everyone for his kind manners and prodigious skill. In addition to being a celebrated racing driver, he was also a Ferrari dealer, a fantastic business opportunity in a rich market such as Ticino. His young son Ronnie, who bears the name of his father’s unfortunate friend, Ronnie Peterson, loved being in his father’s company when he wasn’t studying, in amongst the cars and the drivers. A passion that suddenly became an advantage for him when his father confessed that he had an incurable disease and only a few months left to live. As he recalls in The Key 2020, the very young Ronnie absorbed all his father’s teachings with constancy and commitment and, a few months later, upon his death, at the age of just 22, he took over the reins of the Company with surprising confidence. Today Ronnie, who also manages the classic car business as well as the racing team, is one of the world’s most respected Ferrari dealers and has turned his passion and enthusiasm into an authentic recipe for success.