Enzo Ferrari, who opened his eyes to life 124 years ago today, succeeded in making Ferrari one of the leading automobile brands in the world, after which he never lost his steering control.
Did you watch the film that made in 2003 and whose subject is Enzo Ferrari’s life? We see Enzo Ferrari who watches a Ferrari pilot’s preparation for pre-race with his binoculars afar at the beginning of the film. When the racing driver finished the test drive, Enzo Ferrari’s son comes and says: “ What a great racing driver” The film’s closing scene happens with such words: “ No Piero, it is a great car.”
One of the first names that come to mind when it comes to motor sports or the legendary race Formula 1, which has a deep-rooted history as automobiles, is Ferrari. The brand owes its success that continues for years and being like a legend to its founder Enzo Ferrari. The story begins with Enzo Ferrari’s eyes opening to life in February 18 in 1898. We don’t give details about school life of Enzo Ferrari who was born in İtalya-Modena because he didn’t go to school a long time. However his passion for automobile and motor racing opens the door of success that will last a lifetime. Of course Ferrari has a inspirer: racing driver from Torino, Felica Nazarro. Ferrari who watched the Italian pilot’s victory of Circuito di Bologna in 1908 is filled with passion to being a racing driver such day. He applies to Fiat to be a racing driver but he was not accepted. After World War I, he begins working in the CMN for being a test pilot in 1919.
Ferrari who joins with racing team of Alfa Romeo in 1920 makes its success with being 2 in Targa Florio that arranged in Sicily same year. Ferrari’s first foot to being a brand rather than a racing pilot will be a repair and sales workshop in Modena in 1923.
Ferrari who design racing automobiles a long time and working as a race manager starts to produce the first Ferrari model that is 125 Sport as founding his brand that carries his name in 1947 after World War I. Model of 125 Sports that takes road May 11 in 1947 was produced only 2 in that year. The 1.5-liter V12 engine had 118 HP. The 166 model, which began production in 1948, had a 1995 cc V12 engine with 89 HP. This vehicle became the first street Ferrari to reach a top speed of 180 km/h. However the model of 166 was not enough for speed enthusiast and Ferrari started the production of the model of 195 in 1950. Ferrari 195 has been reaching 200 km/s and it is more sportive model.
The founder of the brand, which has been producing cars one after the other since its establishment and has started to make a name for itself with considerable success in various motor races, was now known as a cold and economical person with his trench coats and colorful glasses. He was stubborn, successful and determined. Throughout his career, his brand has spoken of his personality as well as the success of Ferrari’s cars. Italian writer Luc Dal Monte described Enzo Ferrari with these words: “He was a respected person not only in motor racing, but in every field for the country.”
After the 1950s, the most famous series of the Italian automobile brand began to be produced: the 250 S model was the forerunner of the famous 250 family. With the 250 series continuing in the 60s, Ferrari’s growth gained momentum. Racing driver John Surtees brought the brand’s first championship in Formula 1 with the Ferrari 158 F1 in 1964. Towards the end of the same decade, another legendary series, the 246 models, was produced. One of the most extraordinary Ferraris produced in the following years was the 288 GTO, brought to life in 1984. A few years later the F40 model was developed specifically for Ferrari’s 40th anniversary in 1987.
One year after the 40th anniversary of the brand, Enzo Ferrari passed away. Enzo Ferrari, whom we know as a racing driver and later the founder of a great Italian brand, was also a veteran who took part in the front during the First World War. In addition to being a medal-winning war veteran, he received eight awards and honors for his contributions to Italy in the field of racing sports and engineering. When we came to his private life, he lost almost all of his loved ones early due to various diseases; one of these names was his son Dino, which we mentioned above. The world brand Ferrari, which he put into his life between the world wars and the losses at an early age, was enough to have Enzo Ferrari’s name written in the history books. In our visual memories remained those photos of him wandering among Ferraris with their trench coats and sunglasses.