Enzo Ferrari was born on February 20, 1898 in Modena. In another era, in an Italian context that is radically different from the current one. His career in the world of motoring is now considered legendary, and thanks to his small and big manias, behind dark glasses, his figure is still enormously respected today, many years after his death in 1988. In view of his birthday we retrace together some moments of his life and observe different angles of his character through the words of those who really knew him. Because it is also thanks to him that the Prancing Horse is so madly loved all over the world today.
Gianni Agnelli, the lawyer synonymous with Fiat, lived side by side with Ferrari after the agreement that linked the two manufacturers in the late sixties. Agnelli, very fond of racing and Formula 1, left Enzo Ferrari the freedom of movement that the latter needed. A marriage that today can be defined, in retrospect, a success. The joint press release at the time was published as follows: “Following the meeting of the president of Fiat dott. Giovanni Agnelli with Eng. Enzo Ferrari has been decided, with the pre-eminent intent to ensure continuity and development for Ferrari Automobili, that the technical collaboration relationship in place with Fiat will be transformed within the year into equal participation.“.
“Relationships as a person can be measured from the post-war period up to 1969. Then we became partners and therefore the relationships were evidently of a different nature. Before that little change they were respectful and respectful of a man who had been an automobile racer, head of Scuderia Ferrari and then manufacturer of these cars with particular characteristics that we all admired. He was a man imaginative, arrogant, connoisseur of men and with a passion in the technique for the new. Let’s say adventurous in the world of technology. I entered into a partnership with Ferrari to help him, after he had given up selling to Ford who wanted to set a foot in Europe in the field of sports cars, with an agreement for which we would take care of the industrial part and the sports cars, while the racing department it remained with him. We never quarreled; it was difficult for him to fight, a bit because of how I am, and also because in his world he was totally autocratic, it was practically impossible to put a nose on his decisions“, Agnelli said in an interview with TG2 Dossier.
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