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Where have they gone? Albert Obrist and his Ferrari collection

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Created on May 3, 2025

Reading time 11min

Written by:

Thomas Suter

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

Archiv Albert Obrist

Wolfgang Wilhelm

Daniel Reinhard

Archiv Albert Obrist

Wolfgang Wilhelm

Albert Obrist: “Das Werk Enzo Ferraris ist das einzige epochale Kunstwerk Italiens im 20. Jahrhundert”

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Beim Nachdenken über die Vergangenheit - Albert Obrist

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Da war doch noch etwas? Albert Obrist im Gespräch

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Anbremsmanöver? Albert Obrist erklärt ...

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Adriano Cimarostis Grand Prix Suisse Buch auf dem Couchtisch bei Albert Obrist

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Albert Obrist erklärt seine Liebe zu Ferrari

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Nachdenklicher Albert Obrist im Gespräch

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Albert Obrist beim Interview in seinem Chalet in Gstaad

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Albert Obrist erinnert sich an sein Treffen mit Enzo Ferrari

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Albert Obrist hat seinen Humor gewiss nicht verloren

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Schon früh erkannte Albert Obrist die kulturelle Bedeutung von Ferrari

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Albert Obrist im Gespräch in seinem Gstaader Chalet

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Im Gespräch kommen viele alte Geschichte wieder auf

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Albert Obrist lässt den Blick weit zurückschweifen

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Albert Obrist in seinem sorgfältig restaurierten Gstaader Chalet

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Mit Jean Tinguely war Albert Obrist gut befreundet

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Tinguely-Kunstwerke an der Wand des Obrist-Chalets in Gstaad

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Phil Hill und Albert Obrist mit dem Ferrari Dino 246 F1

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Blick in das Buch über die Obrist-Sammlung - Phil Hill und Albert Obrist mit dem Dino 246 F1

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Club International des Anciens Pilotes de Grand Prix F1 (C.I.A.P.G.P.F1) bei einem Treffen Mitte der Achtzigerjahre, u.a. José Froilán González (im Auto), Huschke von Hanstein, Juan Manuel Fangio, Clay Regazzoni, Sir Jack Brabham, Toulo de Grafenried, Phil Hill, Maria-Theresa de Filippis

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Blick in das Buch der Obrist-Erinnerungen - Rennfahrerzusammenkunft

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Blick in das Buch der Obrist-Erinnerungen - Mauro Forghieri

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Blick in das Buch der Obrist-Erinnerungen - Mauro Forghieri im Ferrari 250 GTO

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Der Ferrari 315 S von 1957 in der Albert-Obrist-Sammlung

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Der Ferrari TR59 von 1959 während der Restaurierung

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Die Sammlung des Albert Obrist - berühmte Ferrari-Rennwagen in perfektem Zustand, im Vordergrund ein Alfa Romeo

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Blick in das Buch der Obrist-Erinnerungen - Albert Obrist im Ferrari 250 GT Competizione im Renneinsatz

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Albert Obrist am Lenkrad des Ferrari 330 P4 von 1967

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Albert Obrist am Lenkrad des Ferrari 375 F1 von 1951

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Albert Obrist in seinem Büro, an Ferrari-Literatur mangelte es nicht

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Blick in das Buch der Obrist-Erinnerungen - Familie Obrist

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The Obrist Ferrari Collection - präsentiert wie ein Kunstwerk

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Artikl über Albert Obrist, als er Segelschiffe restaurierte

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Summary

Even as a boy, Albert Obrist was fascinated by motor racing at the Bern Grand Prix. He later owned a top-class collection of Ferrari racing cars and regarded these racing cars as cultural highlights. The collection was later broken up, but the cars from the Ferrari 250 GTO to the 330 P4 and 375 F1 were of course preserved and are now part of other collections. Obrist turned his attention to new things. In this interview, Albert Obrist looks back on his life and his impressive Ferrari collection.

This article contains the following chapters

Grand Prix Bern as inspiration
Finally his own Ferrari
The cultural significance of Ferrari
Not a collection, a project
On credit
Profiteer Bernie Ecclestone
Still connected to Ferrari
Active in historic racing
From racing car to schooner
Secluded in his carefully restored hideaway

Estimated reading time: 11min

Preview (beginning of the article)

He knew them all - Juan Manuel Fangio, Toulo de Graffenried, Piero Taruffi, Umberto Maglioli, Nino Vaccarella, Phil Hill, Michele Alboreto and Jean Tinguely. The link: a passion for cars, or more precisely: a passion for Ferrari. "And over the years, of course, I got to know a lot more people, including a lot of nice people...", he smiles. To limit Obrist's fascination to Ferrari alone would be far too short-sighted. His image of a Gesamtkunstwerk (actually, his life is already a kind of Gesamtkunstwerk...) includes architecture, art and old sailing boats in addition to the models from the Italian luxury manufacturer. And he set himself the goal of complete perfection in everything he tackled.

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