JANUARY 18, 2001
Ferrari invited to the U.S.
PIERO FERRARI, the son of the Italian company's founder Enzo, has received a personal invitation from George Bush Junior to take part in the newly-elected US President's inauguration ceremony on Saturday in Washington.
Bush has also invited Ferrari to the private banquet organized by his staff, which will be held on Friday in a venue close to the White House.
"I certainly did not expect this, but I am honoured and very curious at the same time" declared Piero Ferrari on receiving the hand-written invitation from the White House.
As well as being vice-president and one of the chief shareholders of Ferrari, Piero Ferrari is also president of CSAI, the Italian motorsports authority, and president of Piaggio Aeronautica.
The USA represents the most important market for Ferrari cars, absorbing 27 per cent of production, and this together with the prestige associated with being the son of the most famous car constructor in history, is probably the reason behind George Bush's invitation.