Enzo Ferrari

Enzo Ferrari was born on February 18, 1898, in Modena, Italy, to Adalgisa and Alfredo Ferrari, who ran a small metalworking business forging axles. Aspiring to work for FIAT but rejected, he began as a test driver for Costruzioni Meccaniche Nazionali (CMN) in Milan, debuting in racing at the 1919 Parma-Poggio di Berceto hillclimb, finishing fourth. In 1920, he joined Alfa Romeo as a driver, winning races without pushing engines to destruction, and retired from driving in 1932 after his son Dino's birth, shifting to management. In 1929, Ferrari founded Scuderia Ferrari as a racing team for Alfa Romeo, achieving eight victories in 22 competitions with over 50 drivers. After disagreements with Alfa Romeo, he left in 1939 to start Auto Avio Costruzioni in Modena, producing parts and two cars for the 1940 Mille Miglia despite a non-compete clause. World War II halted racing; the factory shifted to war production in Maranello after bombing, with initial sheds built in 1942. Post-war, Ferrari launched Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947 with the 125 S, scoring its first win at the 1947 Rome Grand Prix. The prancing horse emblem, adopted from aviator Francesco Baracca's family in 1923, became iconic. Ferrari expanded into road cars amid financial challenges and personal loss—son Dino died in 1956—while dominating races like the 1948 Mille Miglia, 1949 24 Hours of Le Mans, and 1951 British Grand Prix. Knighted in 1929 as Commander for sporting merits, he led Ferrari to Formula One supremacy until his death in 1988.