The name Ferrari conjures the color of speed — a burst of red flashing by the eyes. Of course, this was no accident, as there was a man behind the creation of the machine that is now symbolic of speed, luxury, and success. His name was Enzo Anselmo Ferrari, and he changed the way the world looks at four wheeled vehicles.
Enzo was born on February 18th, 1898, in Modena, Italy. He grew up in a brutal era, especially for an automaker. Luckily, his decision to be part of motorsports would, later on, succeed and push the envelope of both racing as a sport and the development of performance road cars beyond generations. That said, here are some interesting facts about Enzo Ferrari.
10 He Fought In World War One
Enzo Anselmo Ferrari is one of the greatest minds behind the success of the auto world, and responsible for some of the greatest cars the world has ever known. Looking at his auto racing and manufacturing success, one would think he was born on the track, but he was not. The guy served in World War I under the 3rd Mountain Artillery Regiment in the Italian Army. The 3rd Mountain are well known for their mountain combat skills and distinguished for their efforts fighting in the battleground alongside the famous Alpini corps.
Although he did survive the war, his brother and father weren't as lucky. Both died, though not in battle, but by succumbing to a disastrous flu outbreak in Italy at the time. Moreover, Enzo himself almost lost his life during the 1918 flu pandemic when he fell ill. Luckily, he was later discharged from the Army and sent home to recuperate.
9 He Lost His Son Dino At The Age of 24
Ferrari's son, Alfredino, best known as Dino was born in 1932 and was groomed to be Enzo's successor, but he would not live long enough. When Dino was alive, he had suggested developing a 1.5-liter DOHC V6 engine for F2 cars. After his death, Enzo dedicated the Dino series of cars to his son, using the V6 engine he suggested. The Dino is one of the best cars Ferrari ever made.
Dino died of muscular dystrophy at the age of 24. Enzo was devastated by the loss of his son and would visit his grave as often as he could. However, Enzo did have another son, Piero, who would later become the Vice-President of Ferrari. As of June 2021, Piero has a net worth of $4.7 billion.
8 His Father Was Not A Racer, But He Inspired Enzo Into Building Cars
Enzo Ferrari didn't come from a family of racing background. His father, Alfredo Ferrari Senior, came from a family of grocers, but selling food wasn't quite enough for Alfredo. He possessed an intense passion for metalwork, which as a result, he created a metal workshop while Enzo was growing up.
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Enzo was mesmerized by his father's work with metal and would often watch his father toil in the workshop. There, he learned valuable skills in that workshop — skills that he would eventually bring to the road.
7 He Lost His Father To The 1916 Flu
In 1916, a deadly flu pandemic broke out in Italy that claimed the lives of both Enzo's father — Alfredo Ferrari Senior and his older brother — Alfredo Jr. The flu would come into the Ferrari family once again during the 1918 epidemic when Enzo himself fell sick. He became so ill that he barely survived. He would, later on, be discharged from the Army and eventually make a full recovery from home.
Ferrari was lucky he recuperated, since the 1918 flu ended up taking the lives of over 500 million people around the world.
6 He Suffered From Claustrophobia
Enzo Ferrari appeared to have had a very private life despite his fame. He rarely did interviews and refrained from leaving his homes in Modena in Maranello. Enzo would only leave the house under exceptional circumstances, like the Grand Prix at Monza and a trip to Paris to settle a feud between FISA and FOCA in 1982.
Moreover, he never flew in a plane, never traveled to Rome, or set foot inside an elevator. Enzo suffered from claustrophobia, thus his reluctance to enter tight spaces like airplanes and elevators.
5 The Last Car He Personally Approved Was The F40
The Ferrari F40 is a mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive sports car launched in 1987. It was the successor to the 288 GTO and was designed to celebrate Ferrari's 40th anniversary. But most importantly, it was the very last Ferrari automobile to receive Enzo Ferrari's personal approval before his death in August 1988.
It was designed for the road but born for the track and, somehow, the starting point for some of the most exciting cars in GT and endurance racing. With only 400 units built, the F40 were sold for a retail price of around $400,000, making them the most expensive Ferrari at that time.
4 He Started Racing At The Age 20
Enzo Ferrari started racing in his late 20s, but he had dreamed about it since he was ten years old. This motive was spurred by watching his first race in 1908 at the Circuito di Bologna and swore to his father that he would become a racing driver. After losing his father and brother, he joined Costruzioni Meccaniche Nazionali as a test driver.
Enzo worked in their factory, scrapping trucks into small cars, and was then offered a chance to race their 15 horsepower open-wheeled racer. A few years later, he left CMN and joined Alfa Romeo as a mechanic, and racer, where he started the legendary racing team, Scuderia Ferrari.
3 Aerodynamics Are For People Who Can't Build Engines
Enzo once said, "Aerodynamics are for people who can't build engines." The quote was made in 1960 as a response to driver Paul Frere as to why his Ferrari 250TR yet had a limited top speed at the Le Mans.
Ferrari was someone who would respond to anything thrown at him. With this answer, he meant that there was no need for aerodynamics if the powertrain was good. However, it seems his opinion changed over the years, as the Ferrari F40 became one of the most aerodynamic cars at the time.
2 He Deeply Mourned The Death Of Gilles Villeneuve
Gilles Villeneuve was one of the greatest racing car drivers of all time. He drove the 67 Grand Prix race and would spend his last six years racing for Ferrari in Grand Prix racing. However, his stellar career was abruptly ended by a horrific crash in May 1982. He died of injuries sustained during a 139 mph crash during the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix.
This event appeared to have deeply troubled Enzo Ferrari. He was affected by the demise of Gilles Villeneuve that he would keep portraits of Giles in all his homes and offices.
1 The Ferrari Emblem Has A Glorious History
The iconic Ferrari logo, the black prancing horse on a yellow background, has a fascinating history. During World War I, the prancing horse was the personal emblem of Italy's most famous fight pilot, Francesco Baracca. Baracca had painted it on his plane during WWI.
In 1918, Baracca was killed, but his legacy lived on for years. A few years after his death, Ferrari met Baracca's mother, who told him to put the horse logo on his cars for good luck. He gracefully accepted the idea, changing the white background to bright yellow to represent his hometown, Modena.