Valentino Balboni started working for Lamborghini on 21st April 1968, as an apprentice mechanic working his way up through the company until his retirement in 2009.

In the 1980s, he was the only test driver who was simultaneously employed in prototype development, production and customer service at Lamborghini becoming the face of the brand and an ambassador for the company.

In the 1990s, Sant' Agata began production of the Diablo and prominent customers in the USA, Japan and the Arab states often insisted on meeting Balboni in person, to hear about their new car directly from the chief test driver.

Today, Balboni leads the life of an elder statesman and, despite retiring, he is still proud to be known worldwide as Mister Lamborghini , a witness to both the founding era of Ferruccio Lamborghini and to the age of carbon fibre.

Anyone who has ever sat beside him in the passenger seat, their palms sweaty and their heart pounding, will never forget the experience.

At the time of his r...