Feel the Power of Ferrari – Start Your Engine Now!
1918-1919 – Enzo Ferrari, the pilot
At the age of 20, after participating in World War I, Enzo Ferrari found work as a tester in a small car company in Turin. In 1919 he became a pilot: he debuted in the Parma-Poggio race at the wheel of a 2.3-liter four-cylinder CMN 15/20. On November 23 of that same year, he competed in the Targa Fiorio, but his car suffered fuel tank losses.
1920-1929 – The birth of a myth
After some bumpy races behind an Isotta Fraschini 100/110 IM Corsa wheel, Ferrari drives a six-liter, four-cylinder Alfa Romeo Tipo 40/60, finishing second in the 1920 Targa Fiorio. It marks the beginning of a collaboration. He spent 20 years with the brand, piloting its models, until he was appointed director of the Alfa Corse Racing division, which he held until September 1939.
Previously, in 1923, Enzo met Countess Baracca; she allowed him to use on her cars the emblem that her son – World War I hero Francesco Baracca – wore on her plane. This symbol is the rampant horse.
In 1927 and 1928, he won races at the Circuit of Modena in an Alfa Romeo 6C-1500 SS. Based in this city, Ferrari founded the team that bears his surname on November 16, 1929; This marks the starting gun for frenzied sporting activity, leading to creating an official group with Alfa Romeo vehicles.
1930-1939
The first own car
In 1932, Enzo ceased to be a pilot due to the birth of his son Alfredo, better known as Dino, and his enormous work as director of the Scuderia. In his last test, he finished second at The Province circuit with an Alfa Romeo 8C-2300 MM. The collaboration with the brand does not end: in 1937, he built the 158 ‘Alfetta,’ which began to dominate the international racing scene. However, two years later, Enzo ends his cooperation with Alfa Romeo under the promise of not creating racing cars under the Ferrari name for four years.
From that moment on, beating an Alpha with one of his cars becomes an obsession. Ferrari opens Auto Avio Costruzioni in Modena, the headquarters of the old team. The “prancing horse” firm developed a model of eight cylinders and 1,500 cc called 815.
1940-1949 – Victories after the war
Two versions of the 815 (mounted on a Fiat chassis) were born at the Modena plant. After participating in the Mille Miglia in 1940 – one of the drivers was Alberto Ascari-, without success, World War II ended, for the moment, with the dream of continuing to assemble racing cars. Despite this, in 1943, Ferrari began constructing a factory seedling in Maranello, on land he owned, where the company moved.
After the war, rebuilt the facilities were, and the company was renamed, Ferrari. The first vehicle, designed in 1945, has a 1,500 cc V12 engine; It appeared in 1947. It is the 125 S, which debuted in the hands of Franco Cortese and achieved victories in the Mille Miglia in 1948 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1949.
1950-1959 – A new way
In 1950 a new category of the competition was inaugurated, Formula 1, in which Ferrari participated with the Argentine driver José-Froilán González, who obtained victory in the British GP (Silverstone). The brand was proclaimed World Champion in 1952 with Ascari at the wheel, a triumph that it repeated the following year.
In 1956, when Juan Manuel Fangio achieved another title for the firm, Dino, Enzo’s son, designing a new 1,500 cc V6 engine, passed away. The fuel is presented ten months after his death. Ferrari’s 6-cylinder “V” mechanics are named Dino in his honor from that day on. In 57, the company changed its name: Auto Construzioni Ferrari. In 58, Mike Hawthorn gets another Brand Championship.
1960-1969 – New name
Piero Ferrari, Enzo’s son, joins the company to participate in the design of the Dino 206, a racing car for speed-loving customers. In 1969, to meet the challenges of growing demand, Ferrari sold 50% of the company’s shares to Fiat and became known as Ferrari S.p.a. Eserzicio Fabbriche Automobili e Corse. As for F1, Paul Hill in 1961 and John Surtees in ’64 are proclaimed World Champions and give Ferrari the Constructors’ title in both seasons.
1970-1979 – Change in controls
In 1970, Enzo Ferrari was relieved of his position in Sports Management by his son Piero. Seven years later, Carrozzeria Scaglietti di Modena, the company that designs the exterior appearance of vehicles, joins the company structure. Much earlier, in 1971, Enzo decided to build the Fiorano Circuit, which opened in 1972.
In Formula 1, Niki Lauda won in 1975 and 1977, while Jody Scheckter did in 1979.
1980-1989 – Enzo’s death
Piero Ferrari becomes Executive Director of Sports Management. In 1982, the production of racing cars moved to that section. In 1987 the F40 was introduced, the last vehicle created under the supervision of Enzo, who died a year later.
It is then that Fiat acquires 90% of the company’s shares, while the remaining 10% remains in the hands of the Ferrari family. At that time, Piero was appointed vice president. In 1989 the name of the company changed again, this time to Ferrari S.p.A.
In this decade, no Ferrari driver (Gilles Villeneuve, Michele Alboreto. Nigel Mansell ) achieved the title, although the brand did become the best constructor in 1982 and 1983.
1990-1999 – The Schumacher stage
In 1991, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, with experience as a team leader during Niki Lauda’s victorious stage in F1 (at the end of the 70s), began his role as president and CEO of the brand.
He is the one who relaunches the “Gestione Sportiva” with the brilliant results that are a legend in the premier category of the circuits. In 1997 the Design Center and the wind tunnel for Formula 1 vehicles were inaugurated. They are equipped with the most modern analog and digital data acquisition systems and a sophisticated device to measure the force of the wind, which is generated from a 2,000-watt fan over five meters in diameter.
Also that year, Michael Schumacher began to give triumphs to the team (in 1999, he won the Constructors’ title).
2000-2009 – Intractable in competition
In 2002 there was a dance of actions, but the Ferrari family maintained its 10%. That same year the squad dominated in Formula 1, with 15 victories in 17 races. Throughout the decade, he won seven titles, and the Enzo, a streetcar with F1 technology, was introduced.
2004 is the year in which the most Ferraris were marketed: 4,900. And the 360 Modena became the best-selling Ferrari in history, although it was replaced by the end of the year by the F340. 2005 marks the international expansion and consolidation of a brand whose fame continues to grow thanks to the competition: between 2000 and 2004, she was the absolute queen of F1 with Michael Schumacher at the wheel.
After two years in white, Kimi Raikkönen returns to give the final triumph to Ferrari. It is the oldest and most successful team in the field, winning 209 races and 25 world titles under Enzo’s leadership.
From 2010
Apart from the arrival of Fernando Alonso to the Formula 1 team, the Italian sports car range is more renewed than ever. The 458 Italia is the most miniature model in the field, but it is quite a sports weapon to take. In addition, the appearance of the Ferrari FF has been the first all-wheel-drive Ferrari in history.
