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 it's
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
