From 1998 to 2009, Rosso Sport Auto, who originally started in Kyalami, and were mere meters away from the famous grand prix racetrack, were the official Ferrari dealer in Johannesburg. After 2009, through the proprietor Piero Giovanelli, the company’s focus changed from selling new Ferraris to used Ferrari vehicles.
Piero passed away in 2019 and shortly thereafter Pablo Clark Racing bought the business. This included the equipment and tools that the company owned, including the building based in Kyalami. From there, Pablo Clark took over the building and the cliental who had faith that the experienced team would continue with Piero’s legacy.
After a few years of having the companies work together and share a premises, Pablo Clark wanted to focus entirely on race cars, both Ferrari and other brands, while the Rosso Sport Auto team wanted to focus on Ferrari road cars. This led to Rosso Sport Auto moving out of its original home, and into a new environment, now based in Bryanston, where the showroom looks out onto Main Road, where they focus entirely on the sales and servicing of all Ferrari vehicles, old and new.
Paul Gerber, the managing director of Rosso Sport Auto, states this about why he chose to keep the company name after the move: “The main reason we kept the name going is that it is such an important part of Ferrari’s history in South Africa, as well as keeping Piero’s legacy going.”
