Enzo Ferrari was born on February 18,
1898 near Modena, Italy. When he was
10 his father took him to an automobile
race in Bologna.
After attending a number
of other races, he decided he wanted
to become a racing car driver. While
working at a small carmaker involved
with converting war surplus, Ferrari
took up racing. In 1919 he finished ninth
at the Targa Florio.
He ended up landing a job with Alfa Romeo and drove a modified production car in
the 1920 Targa Florio. Ferrario managed
to finish second.
In 1923 while racing
at the Circuit of Sivocci at Ravenna
he was approached by Count Enrico and
Countess Paolina Baracca, the parents
of the heroic Italian pilot Francesco
Baracca. Francesco was known as the Italian
ace of aces.
He died on Mount Montello during the
war. His parents gave Ferrari their son's
squadron badge, which was the famous
prancing horse on a yellow shield.
Enzo
Ferrari was connected with Alfa Romeo
for many years, however, he built only
a few sports cars bearing his name and
his famous prancing horse badge. In 1929
Enzo formed the Scuderia Ferrari with
the aim of organizing racing for members.
The Scuderia Ferrari team competed in
22 events and scored 8 victories and
several good placings. In 1940 Enzo Ferrari
left Alfa Romeo and started a new company
Auto-Avio Costruzioni Ferrari.
During
World War II the Ferrari workshop moved
from Modena to Maranello. The workshop
became a victim of the war in 1944 -
it was leveled by bombs. A year after
the war in 1946 the shop was rebuilt
and work began on the first ever Ferrari
motorcar, the 125 Sport. This car started
a grand tradition of winning for Ferrari.
Since its first race in 1947, Ferrari's
have had over 5,000 successes on race
tracks around the globe. In 1969 Enzo
Ferrari sold 50% of Ferrari's share capital
to the Fiat group. That figure grew to
90% in 1988. Enzo Ferrari died at the
age of 90 in Modena on August 14, 1988.
Also see:
Honour Roll - Founding Fathers Of The Automotive Industry