18.2.13

We always remember to record The Founder's birthday in our calendar, but always forget to commemorate it. This year that's different because a joke about the venue for a Club event sparked our consciousness.

Enzo Ferrari was born on 18th February 1898 in Modena. His father was a self-employed metalworker (Ferrari = Smith). Enzo became a mechanic when his father took up repairing cars as many smiths did.

He served in WW1 and was invalided out of the army in 1918 after becoming severely ill. When he came home his father and older brother (both named Alfredo, after whom he named his beloved son) were both dead and with them the family business. The search for a job led to employment in the workshop of CMN, thence to racing driver, to Alfa Romeo, to team manager, to constructor, to the best-known marque in the world, to the iconic cars we love and the reason for this one and all of the other Ferrari Owners' Clubs throughout the world. Ferrari is the only marque to be competing still in the F1 World Championship since its inception in 1950. 219 Grand Prix wins, 16 Constructors' Championships and 14 Drivers' titles. Add to these nine wins in the Le Mans 24 hours plus thousands of victories in other races throughout the World (though sadly not in the Indy 500 and unlikely now will ever be). Also since last year, a Ferrari is the most expensive car in the world.

Poorly educated, never an engineer and not a great racing driver he described himself thus: "I am an agitator of men". He also said: “I don't sell cars; I sell engines. The cars I throw in for free since something has to hold the engines in." and: "Aerodynamics are for people who can't build engines". How times have changed.

We apologise to older Tifosi for whom this all goes without saying, but suspect there are many younger ones who think an Enzo is only a car.

Saluti Enzo! Forza Ferrari!