81-year-old Italian-Quebecer was mechanic for 1960s Ferrari race cars

Just south of Montreal in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, 81-year-old mechanic Salvatore Montana, has been repairing sports cars for more than 50 years at his garage, but what some may not know is that before moving to Quebec from Italy, he was a mechanic for Ferrari car racing.

Before Montana was even 18-years-old, he started to learn his craft at the famous Ferrari factory in Maranello, Italy. 

“That was always in my dream. That really impressed me. To say, I have the possibility of learning all this,” said Salvatore Montana. “The chance to have the opportunity to go inside the factory and see all these shops, how they worked. A boy, a 17 year old boy who came in there, it was impressive.”

“My dad went at the greater school,” said Anthony Montana, Salvatore’s son and general manager for Garage Salvatore. “I think, if we can say that in a sense (he) went to the real Ferrari school.”

Montana would eventually work on Ferraris competing in grand touring car races. He was a mechanic for the Ferrari team that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1964.

“We worked day and night. We had to be in good shape, we had to love the job. That’s how we won,” said Salvatore Montana.

Montana decided to quit Ferrari and he moved to Quebec in 1966 to raise his young family where he brought up two boys and two girls. Montana still keeps busy at the family business Garage Salvatore with his son Anthony. 

“To work with my dad is incredible and seeing him working. We always did call him a cook because he’s so precise and I can tell you, he never does an error. Never,” said Anthony Montana. 

With the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal and the Ferrari team currently in second place in F1 standings, Montana still cheers for the Italian sports car company that gave him a chance of a lifetime to pursue his passion. 

“I want them to win. And when they win, all alone, I sing the same song when we win at the 24 hours of Le Mans,” said Montana.