Enzo Ferrari was an Italian motor racing driver, engineer, and entrepreneur who founded the legendary Ferrari automobile marque. A towering figure in the history of motorsports, he transformed his passion for speed into one of the world’s most iconic brands.
He was born on February 20, 1898, in Modena, Italy, to a modest family with a small metal workshop. As a boy, he watched motor races with wide eyes, his heart already beating to the rhythm of roaring engines.
His early dreams were interrupted by World War I, where he served in the Italian Army and lost both his father and brother to illness. Stricken by grief and influenza, Enzo returned home a changed man—hungrier for life, and for the wheel.
After serving in World War I, he pursued a career in racing and joined Alfa Romeo as a test driver in 1920. His talent behind the wheel quickly led to victories on the track, but his true genius emerged off the track.
He began as a test driver for CMN (Costruzioni Meccaniche Nazionali) in 1919, then moved to Alfa Romeo, where his skill and spirit turned him from racer to team manager. Enzo understood that winning was not just about speed—it was about harmony between man, machine, and dream.
The Prancing Horse
On 17 June 1923, a unique encounter intertwined the destinies of the Prancing Horse and Enzo Ferrari forever. Enzo Ferrari wrote about that encounter: ‘When I won my first Savio Circuit in Ravenna in 1923, I met Count Enrico Baracca and Countess Paolina, parents of the flying hero. One day the Countess said to me,
“Ferrari, why don’t you put my son’s prancing horse on your cars? It’ll bring you good luck.”
The Horse was and will always be black; I added the canary yellow background, the colour of the city of Modena.’
When Ferrari was founded in 1947, the car manufacturer took the emblem for its brand. Today it is stronger than ever and famous throughout the world.
Naturally, it was seen on the 125 S, the first ever Ferrari, and it accompanied Franco Cortese to the Rome Grand Prix that year at the Terme di Caracalla circuit where he secured the first victory for a car built in Maranello.
The Scuderia Ferrari
In 1929, Enzo founded the Scuderia Ferrari, initially a racing team for Alfa Romeo. However, following a split with Alfa, he established Auto Avio Costruzioni, which would eventually evolve into Ferrari S.p.A.. In 1947, the first car bearing his name—the Ferrari 125 S—made its debut, marking the beginning of an automotive dynasty.
That emblem—a tribute to a fallen World War I pilot—became a symbol of courage, elegance, and relentless pursuit. Enzo was famously private, always in his trademark dark glasses. He was ruthless in pursuit of perfection, telling his engineers:
“Ask a child to draw a car, and certainly, he will draw it red.”
Under his watch, Ferrari cars dominated Formula 1 and endurance racing, creating machines that were not just vehicles, but moving works of art.
Ferrari became known not just for high-performance road cars, but for unmatched success in Formula One racing, where Scuderia Ferrari remains the most successful and celebrated team in history.
He faced triumph and tragedy—the loss of his beloved son Dino in 1956, fierce rivalries with giants like Ford, and the pressures of keeping Ferrari both a racing powerhouse and a luxury brand. Yet, his will never bent.
“You cannot describe passion, you can only live it,”
he once said—and Enzo lived his until the very last day.
Legacy
He passed away on August 14, 1988, in Modena at the age of 90, leaving behind a legacy not merely of cars, but of a philosophy:
That true speed comes from the marriage of beauty and purpose, and that some machines carry the soul of their maker.
The prancing horse still runs today—not just on tracks, but in the dreams of those who believe that perfection is not a destination, but a race without a finish line.
Under Enzo’s leadership, Ferrari became a symbol of Italian excellence, blending engineering precision with artistic beauty. His relentless pursuit of perfection, competitive spirit, and devotion to racing shaped not just a brand but a cultural legacy.
Enzo Ferrari was known for his passion, wisdom and attention to detail. His name lives on as a legend in the world of motorsports and luxury performance cars.
“Aerodynamics are for people who can’t build engines.”
“A Ferrari is a dream—people dream of owning this special vehicle, and for most people, it will remain a dream apart from those lucky few.”
“The best car is the one that has yet to be built.”