Former Ferrari engineer who set up his own design company, and also worked for Durango in F3000. Later worked in motorcycle racing, and the helicopter and road car industries. Marelli graduated from the University of Padua with a mechanical engineering degree and worked for Esso and Autobianchi before joining Ferrari in 1966 to work closely with Mauro Forghieri. Marelli then moved to Autodelta before becoming a carbon fibre design expert, with his work closely involving a number of Indycar teams. He then became Zakspeed's sportscar and Formula 1 engine designer, before designing the FIRST Grand Prix car - a car for Lamberto Leoni which never made it to the grid in that form, but was later used by Life for their disastrous Grand Prix effort in 1990.

Biography last updated 12 Oct 2024