Enzo Ferrari had car-making in his genes. He was not only the creator of one of the most important cars company worldwide but also a race car driver. His life was successful but also full of difficult moments. He made his passion his work.
The life and the success
Enzo Anselmo Ferrari was born on February 18, 1898, in Modena, Italy. His love for car racing started when he was just 10, during a race in Bologna where his dad took him. After the WWI, in 1919, Ferrari moved to Milan to work as a test driver for Costruzioni Meccaniche Nazionali. Given the chance to compete with the company’s racing team, he made his debut at the company racing team at Parma-Poggio di Berceto hillclimb race.
In 1929, he created his own team for his Scuderia Ferrari (Ferrari Stable). Comprised mainly of Alfa Romeos, the scuderia soon became the official racing arm of the automaker. However, it was after leaving Alfa Romeo that he decided to develop his own racing company and moved to Maranello.
In March 1947 he took the first official Ferrari, the 125 S, out for a test-drive. The team scored its first win that year, at the Rome Grand Prix, and went on to notch victories at the Mille Miglia in 1948, the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1949, and the British Grand Prix in 1951. In 1952 and 1953, Ferrari began producing cars for road use. Ferrari died on August 14, 1988, in Maranello but the cause is still unknown.
Ferrari vs Lamborghini
The competition between the two entrepreneurs is part of the history of race driving. The Bull and the Horse have always been rivals and it all started with Ferrari’s bad comment on Lamborghini, who came to be famous years later than the former.
Lamborghini found his success as a creator of tractors after WWII and soon started exploring his interest in cars too. After a complaint from Lamborghini on clutch imperfection, Enzo did not appreciate it and said, “Lamborghini, you may be able to drive a tractor but you will never be able to handle a Ferrari properly.”
Enzo Ferrari Museums
If you want to continue living the dream of the famous Horse, you have to visit the Museo Enzo Ferrari, in Modena, dedicated to the entrepreneur. Also the Ferrari Museum in Maranello, where there are various exhibitions of the famous car company. They are open seven days but a Green Pass or vaccination proof is requested at the entrance. You can buy tickets here.
