Piero Dusio

Who was Piero Dusio?

Piero Dusio was an Italian soccer player, businessman and racing driver.

Dusio was born at Scurzolengo, province of Asti. His active soccer career ended in a knee injury, after which he started a textile business, which evolved into sporting goods as well as becoming supplier of military uniforms.

He raced in the Mille Miglia, was sixth in 1936 Italian Grand Prix, winning a class victory in Mille Miglia in a Siata 500cc, and formed the Scuderia Torino. He commissioned Dante Giacosa of Fiat to develop a racing car, and formed the "Consorzio Industriale Sportiva Italia". The firm became Cisitalia and involved Carlo Abarth, Rudolf Hruska and Ferry Porsche. Dusio won in the Giovanni Savonuzzi-completed car's premiere race at 1946 Turin Grand Prix.

Dusio continued financing racing car projects, but the expenses in engineering the complex 202MM almost ruined Cisitalia, as well as involved the Juventus corporation. Consequently, Dusio moved to Argentina and established Autoar S.A.I.C., financially supported by Juan Peron. His son, Carlo Dusio continued to run a refinanced Cisitalia company in Torino.