Rossa memorabilia adorns the walls of the restaurant; the crimson uniforms, hundreds of snapshots retracing the past.

The restaurant once again welcomed Ferrari’s technical team for a meal as they geared up for the Australian Grand Prix.

About thirty years ago, the then-owner of the iconic Italian restaurant, Gino Francese met a Ferrari engineer and mechanic right at one of his tables.

A shared passion for the sport soon blossomed into an extraordinary friendship, bridging long distances and time zones for decades.

Gino recently passed the business on to his children, Lisa Francese Martinez and James Francese, to embrace a well-earned retirement.

“From that moment on, the entire team started giving him memorabilia, posters and jerseys, so much so that my father decided to register the restaurant as the official home of the Ferrari Club Melbourne,” said Francese Martinez, who now runs the venue with her brother James and their respective partners, Eduardo Martinez and Casey Findlay.

It has since become tradition for the Ferrari team to gather at Cafe Cavallino for lunches and dinners throughout the week leading up to the race - a sign of a genuine friendship that hasn’t faded over time.

The current owners of Cafe Cavallino from left to right: Eduardo Martinez, Lisa Francese Martinez with son Jonathon, Casey Findlay and James Francese

Veteran mechanic Bersini, who has truly lived through Ferrari’s history, also made his way to the Carlton restaurant to reunite with old friends and relive the excitement of the Australian Grand Prix.

“I met Gino Francese many years ago; we’ve been friends for thirty years now,” the veteran recalled.

“His family welcomed me to Melbourne almost as if I were a son, and Cafe Cavallino has become my home in Australia. It was our shared passion that brought us together and created this incredible bond.”

Bersini first arrived in Australia in 1989, back when the Australian Grand Prix was still held in Adelaide.

When he came to Melbourne in 1996 for the first race in Victoria, he was immediately struck by “the simplicity of life, as well as the kindness and warmth of a city that is both vast and incredibly well-organised”.

“If I could, I’d move here in a heartbeat,” he revealed.

Bersini’s story begins in Chiari, a town in the province of Brescia, better known as the “city of medieval districts”.

There, he honed his mechanical skills in an era when “everything was repaired rather than replaced”.

Cafe Cavallino founder Gino Francese (left) with his good friend Claudio Bersini

From an early age, he was drawn into his father’s passion for race cars and Ferrari, sneaking into viewing spots through fences cut open by other fans to catch a glimpse of the Variante Ascari - the famous Monza course dedicated to Alberto Ascari, the legendary driver who lost his life in a Ferrari F1 car after veering off that very track in 1955.

“When I saw the mechanics at work, I told my father, ‘One day, I want to do this,’” he recalled.

“He replied, ‘But can’t you see them? They eat sitting on the tyres, they have scruffy beards, they’re always dirty, they travel the world with no family, no stability - do you really want this life?’

“But I had already made up my mind, and I told myself that one day I would make it.”

After a brief stint in the Racing department of Alfa Romeo, Bersini joined the coveted Scuderia Ferrari, first as an engine specialist and later as a chassis technician.

“I approached the Ferrari dream cautiously,” Bersini admitted, referring to his time at Alfa Romeo.

“Perhaps out of fear of stepping into such a prestigious team, I first gained experience elsewhere because I didn’t think I was ready.

“But on January 2, 1996, I finally began my journey, and fortunately, my skills allowed me to join Michael Schumacher’s race team until his retirement.”

Bersini still has fond memories of Schumacher, one of the greatest drivers in Formula One history.

“He wasn’t just an extraordinary athlete, but a man with immense charisma, capable of inspiring and energising everyone around him,” he revealed.

The Ferrari mechanic was there for Schumacher’s first victory with the Rossa on June 2, 1996, at the rain-soaked Barcelona circuit. It was an unforgettable moment in a challenging race.

Gino and Claudio together in 2000

But behind every win and every race, there is the precision and ambition of a technical team that rides the highs and lows each fraction of a second.

“In the end, it becomes part of your routine, and you get used to it,” Bersini explained.

“Today, precision and speed are crucial, alongside experience, which always tells you where improvements can be made,” he added.

“The younger team members are focused and skilled. They’re the ones I mentored, the ones who followed in my footsteps.

“They were my apprentices and over time I passed the baton to them, though not without plenty of criticism, because learning the hard way is important.”

Bersini also emphasises the importance of never losing passion.

“It’s not just about wearing the Cavallino shirt; it’s about truly being a Ferrarista,” he said, “Because otherwise, you couldn’t withstand the pressures of this job.”

Meanwhile, the Francese family is ready to welcome Ferrari fans and supporters to Lygon Street for years to come.

“We grew up with the Ferrari team in Carlton, and we remember them coming to our restaurant since we were kids,” Francese Martinez reminisced.

“The bond grows stronger every year, and not just when they win. The energy of the community is always unmatched.”