Ferrari was founded in 1947, but its history began much earlier...
In 1900, a ten-year-old boy Enzo got into a car race with his father. He was immediately fascinated by cars and it changed his life. Three years later he sat behind the wheel for the first time and he began to dream even more about his destiny connected with automobiles. But after the outbreak of World War I, all dreams of a guy to participate in motor racing - it happened to leave. The young guy had to constantly work in the factory in order to earn a living. Of course, it wasn't easy, but he had money. It is worth noting that Enzo's whole family was never poor.
The Italian government in the twenties was well supported financially by the local car racing. The reason for this was the desire to open the national automobile industry in Italy, and therefore the government generously invested in Fiat. Car manufacturers, in turn, put a lot of work in order to produce cars of the highest quality. And with victories in car races to get good publicity for the company. Victories, of course, were, but not as often as expected. Enzo Ferrari was not a high-class racer. An ordinary average driver who got victories occasionally by luck and did not lead in the championship in any way. Ferrari himself did not aspire to become a famous racer.
One of the important events in the life of Enzo was acquaintance with the Baracchi family. Baracchi family at the time was famous all over the country. Their fame came to them thanks to the pilot Francesco. The fearless hero shot down many enemy planes during the war, and bravely died during one of the battles. The key point was that Francesco Baracchi's plane was represented by a black stallion. After this encounter, Enzo Ferrari would create the now famous, Scuderia Ferrari logo - a black stallion against yellow paint.
The foundation of Ferrari:
Due to the crisis of the '20s, Alfa-Romeo was forced to withdraw from auto racing. Enzo had to do something to keep his career from collapsing. The solution was found quite simply. In 1929 Scuderia Ferrari team opens its doors in Modena.
To build his team, Enzo needed money. He borrowed it from his friends, who were themselves fans of auto racing, and was happy to give him a loan. To all this, Ferrari also helped the company Alfa-Romeo, because "Scuderia Ferrari" at that time was like a company. (Alfa-Romeo supplied to Scuderia Ferrari its chassis and some other parts).
And so cooperating for several years, Enzo Ferrari begins to understand that the team needs independence. And at the end of the 30's discord between Enzo and Alfa-Romeo begins. In the end, the team managed to get independence, but the production of cars was never established because of the onset of World War II. During the war, the Ferrari factory was moved from Modena to Maranello, where it had to make military orders. Manufacturing lasted until the Allied army blew up the plant.
At the end of the war, Ferrari finally begins its history. The company is no longer patronized by Alfa-Romeo, and there is a well-known Commandante (director). This is the nickname Enzo Ferrari received from his team. Largely because he spent a lot of time at work, very rarely laughed and had good restraint
In 1946, the first car, designed by Enzo himself, comes out of the company Ferrari. In addition, he also founded a second company Auto Avia Construzione Ferrari, which was to produce sports cars for the sales market. And already in 1947 the company released its first car with a black stallion. Sales were staggering for two reasons: the first reason was good reliable quality, and the second, people already knew about the brand by participating in races.
From then on, Ferrari factories began to produce sports cars that amazed everyone with their power and were assembled by hand. To this day, the company has kept these traditions and produces cars priced from 100 to 500 thousand dollars.
Ferrari and Formula 1:
In the twentieth century, Ferrari was gaining a lot of popularity among the class of cars participating in Formula One. It was on this type of racing decided to focus Enzo Ferrari. In 1952-1953, the famous pilot Alberto Ascari brings the team Scuderia Ferrari two championship titles in Formula 1 races. Thanks to the fact that Ferrari stand a full-fledged race track - the city of Maranello becomes the capital for fans of motorsports. This has not been done by any other team. At the same time the brand Ferrari becomes one of the famous brands and a real dignity of Italy.
After the death of Enzo Ferrari, the company would find itself in a bit of a crisis. Due to the fact that the Benetton team (after McLaren and Williams) would start to lead in Formula One races. After a little while, problems will begin to appear and Fiat will go bankrupt (then the situation will be normalized). Disregarding the number of sales of cars in races, the company will regain its leading position, thanks to the most professional racer in history - Michael Schumacher.
Dark streaks in Enzo's life:
However, the story of Ferrari's emergence is not as simple as it seems at first glance. Success came with tragedies. The driver who brought the Scuderia Ferrari team two championship titles, Alberto Ascari, crashed in 1955 during a test in the city of Monza. This death was followed by the death of Enzo's only son, Dino Ferrari. This tragedy significantly affected the founder of Scuderia Ferrari.
Working with the public, he began to appear more and more often wearing black glasses. Dino, held the position of designer in the team, and almost finished his new project car Ferrari-246. This model would leave the assembly line in 1958, and the pilot Michael Hawthorne, having tested it, would win the world championship. He dedicated the victory to Dino Ferrari. Following the championship, more tragedies would follow. Racers Phil Collins and Luigi Musso will crash exactly in Ferrari-246 cars.
In the mid 50's ready Ferrari in one year produces 200 ordinary cars for sale to the public and 250 racing cars. It should be noted that the company had a good reputation not only in Europe. Special orders were delivered in the U.S.. The cars were of class GT.
The transformation of the company into a joint stock company occurred in 1960. To this Enzo added that Ferrari was now a people's firm, and anyone could buy shares. A good thing for the company happened in 1969, then Gianni Agnelli from Fiat bought 50% of Ferrari shares.
Ferrari was the perennial favorite every season of the F1 races. Their struggle was with famous car brands, then with McLaren, then with Williams, then with Benetton. But the first places always went to Ferrari. One of the most famous and titled teams. In the 70's the famous racer Gilles Villeneuve joins the team, he immediately starts an elderly Enzo his son. Enzo made every possible effort for Villeneuve to win the title. He might have won if he had not crashed in 1982.
In the '60s, new problems came to Ferrari. Worthy competitors began to appear on the racing circuit, which could take away from the company a solid part of the market. Among them were Lotus, Lamborghini, Mazeratti and a little cheaper was Porsche. However, not one of them achieved much success in racing, and the word "speed" still remained for Ferrari car.
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