Motor racing legend Alfredo Costanzo in the trophy room of the Doncaster home he lived in throughout his car racing career. Picture: Jake Nowakowski
Forty years ago, Australian motorsport champ Alfredo ‘Alfie’ Costanzo tapped the brakes on a shot at an international racing career to do the right thing by his family.
That decision might be about to provide him with his biggest prize yet.
Costanzo won a record four consecutive Australian Drivers’ Championships, appeared in the Australian Grand Prix 11 times and had tilts at Bathurst before retiring in 1998.
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He placed fourth in 1980 and 1984, just before the Grand Prix was given Formula 1 status.
But today the “dream home” at 5 Eden Court, Doncaster, he designed, built and lived in throughout his career is on the verge of a $2m sale. He stands to make a whopping windfall, having paid just $8000 for the block of land 47 years ago.
But selling the Spanish Mission-style house might mean downsizing the collection of trophies and memorabilia that are his “pride and joy”.
The Spanish Mission-style flair of the home is a rarity in the suburb.
It includes the cockpit cover of a Formula Mondial car he raced for Porsche in the 1980s, given to him as a 40th birthday present by his former boss Alan Hamilton — the man who first brought the luxury sports cars to Australia.
“My success came pretty late in my career,” Costanzo said.
“I thought about trying my luck overseas. But the only place I could go was America, because I was too old for Formula 1, and taking my family there was a decision I never took.
“But I think I made the right decision.”
The home’s living room comes complete with a grand staircase and a bar.
By staying put, he wound up equalling Aussie motorsport legend Bib Stillwell’s 1960s Championship record.
It also gave him a chance to appreciate the home be built with skills learned watching his brother and father renovate and flip houses in Fitzroy North, where he grew up after immigrating from Calabria in Italy.
“I did a lot of the work myself,” he said of the Doncaster house.
“When you put something in your mind you want to do, you find a way. You learn from an expert — and when I was finished, I was a bit of an expert myself.”
Pictured: the right decision.
The four-bedroom house has plenty of European flair including a backyard pizza oven that will get Italian-food lovers’ pulses racing.
A tranquil water feature adjoining the pool, and a pool house with a kitchenette and bathroom, ensures a relaxed atmosphere for guests.
Step inside the house and a grand entry hall is set between a games room and sprawling lounge room with a bar and eye-catching decor.
The pizza oven has been popular at Costanzo family gatherings over the years.
Marble tiles imported from Italy appear throughout the home, notably in its bathrooms.
The large kitchen features a plantation window as well as granite benchtops and splashbacks.
“There are a lot of nice features — the garage has space for at least three cars and a lot of workshop space,” Costanzo said.
He plans to downsize to a more modest abode nearby.
The home’s marble tiles were imported from Italy.
Noel Jones Doncaster’s Daniel D’Assisi said he had “never sold anything like this” in his 26 years in real estate.
“It’s certainly sparked interest and inquiry due to its uniqueness,” Mr D’Assisi said.
Built on multiple concrete slabs with then-uncommon in-floor heating added in, the brick house is still “solid”.
“I will miss the whole house, I designed it for my family,” Costanzo said. “But my wife has gone to God and the house is too big.”
It has a $1.9-$2.09m price guide.
The home’s timber kitchen is topped with polished granite.
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