Founders Episode 396 - The Obsession of Enzo Ferrari
In Episode 396 of the Founders podcast, titled "The Obsession of Enzo Ferrari," the host explores the extraordinary life and career of Enzo Ferrari, the visionary behind one of the most iconic automotive brands in history.
Drawing from an extensive range of sources, including The New Yorker profile "The Terrible Joys of Enzo Ferrari" (1966), The Story of Ferrari by Stuart Codling, Enzo Ferrari by Luca Dal Monte, Enzo Ferrari by Brock Yates, and Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans, the episode offers a deep dive into Ferrari’s relentless passion, innovative leadership, and singular focus on winning races with cars bearing his name.
This summary captures the key themes and insights from the episode, highlighting Ferrari’s ironbound tenacity, marketing genius, and complex personality.
A Life Defined by Passion and Tenacity
Enzo Ferrari’s story is one of extraordinary dedication. As the host notes, "If there was one essential quality about the man, it was his ironbound tenacity, his fierce devotion to the single cause of winning automobile races with cars bearing his name." From 1930 until his death in 1988 at age 90, Ferrari pursued this mission with unwavering focus. For nearly 60 years, hardly a day passed without this goal at the forefront of his mind. Win or lose, he consistently rose to the challenge, a devotion the host describes as "without precedent," setting him apart from his contemporaries.
This obsession began early. At age 10, Ferrari attended his first automobile race with his father, an experience that ignited a lifelong passion. Despite limited formal education and a disdain for school, Ferrari’s capacity for hard work became a defining trait. His father, a metalworker, instilled in him a sense of duty and individualism, though he did not live to see his son’s ultimate success. The unexpected deaths of his father and brother in 1916, when Ferrari was just 18, followed by the collapse of the family business and his conscription into the Italian army, shaped a resilience that would fuel his future achievements.
Early Struggles and a Drive for Revenge
Ferrari’s entry into the automotive world was marked by adversity. After surviving illness in the army, he sought employment at Fiat, Italy’s leading car manufacturer, only to face rejection. Sitting on a park bench in Turin, he reflected, "I was back where I had started. No money, no experience, limited education. All I had was a passion to get somewhere." This rejection became a personal slight that Ferrari carried for decades, motivating him to prove Fiat wrong. His first job at CMN, a small, underfunded company, involved driving race cars to tracks—a task fraught with challenges, including a memorable encounter with wolves during a blizzard. Undeterred, Ferrari’s determination only grew.
His career progressed at Alfa Romeo, where he raced, managed teams, and established a dealership by age 31. His work ethic was relentless: rising before sunrise, skipping meals to meet clients, and tirelessly overseeing operations. This experience laid the foundation for Scuderia Ferrari, a racing team he founded in partnership with Alfa Romeo, marking his first step toward independence.
Building Ferrari: Craftsmanship and Exclusivity
Ferrari founded Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947 at age 49, amidst the scarcity of post-war Europe. His goal was clear: to build outstanding cars that reflected his vision. The host emphasizes Ferrari’s focus on craftsmanship, noting, "It is obvious that a Ferrari is the product of a sort of automotive watchmaker." In his Maranello factory, a small team of 600 highly skilled workers produced just 750 cars annually, including a handful of racing machines. Crankshafts were hand-sculpted from steel over 86 hours, and engines were treated with an almost reverent care, as Ferrari himself remarked, "When the driver steps on the gas, I want him to shit his pants." This visceral emphasis on performance underscored his philosophy.
Ferrari’s marketing genius shone through his strategy of exclusivity. He famously told an employee, "A Ferrari must be desired. It cannot and must not be perceived as something that is immediately available; otherwise, the dream is gone." By limiting production and vetting buyers personally, he cultivated an aura of prestige that made his cars objects of longing. The host draws a parallel to the episode’s highlight, "He who travels fast, carries little," suggesting that Ferrari’s cars, with their small luggage compartments, embodied speed and risk over practicality, a reflection of his own character.
An Agitator of Men
Ferrari described himself as an "agitator of men," a role he embraced fully. "I have never considered myself a designer or an inventor, but only one who gets things moving and keeps them running," he said. "My innate talent was for stirring up men." Like Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos, Ferrari understood the value of talent, building his company with a small team of exceptional individuals. The host highlights this similarity, noting Jobs’ belief that "a small team of A-plus players can run circles around a giant team of B and C players."
Ferrari’s leadership was both inspiring and ruthless. He managed "proud, fiercely competitive, egocentric men," pushing them to excel in the high-stakes world of racing, where, as he put it, "Racing is a profession for men who do not wish to die in bed." His drivers, however, often felt like mere custodians of his machines, with victories credited to the cars rather than their skill. This authoritarian style, coupled with an intolerance for disagreement, led to frequent turnover but also drove remarkable results.
The Psychology of Winning and Learning from Loss
A pathological competitor with a "diamond-hard will to win at all costs," Ferrari saw competition as the catalyst for innovation. He believed that "the fiercer the competition, the faster cars will go," and that some men possessed a need to achieve greatness, a trait he nurtured in his team. Yet, he also valued loss as a teacher, stating, "When one loses, one knows what has to be done. When one wins, one is never sure." This mindset fueled continuous improvement.
Ferrari’s emotional connection to his cars was profound. He spoke of them as living beings, saying, "Cars possessed unique behaviors, just like people do. They breathe through their carburetors. They were skinned with metal." Unable to watch them race where he felt they were "dying" even in victory, he poured his passion into their creation, a process he described with almost sensual reverence.
A Legacy of Showmanship and Prestige
Ferrari understood that "showmanship is salesmanship." His cars, "built by Italian artisans, every detail down to the steering wheel handcrafted using some of the same methods used to make Roman suits of armor and the royal carriages of the ancient kingdoms," became symbols of beauty and power. Winning races was his ultimate marketing tool, attracting the wealthy and famous, figures like Gianni Agnelli and Porfirio Rubirosa, whose associations only heightened the brand’s allure.
In 1969, Ferrari sold 50% of his company to Fiat, a poetic twist given his early rejection by them. Retaining control over racing, he secured financial stability while fulfilling a decades-long quest for vindication. Even in his 80s, he worked tirelessly, driven by the belief that "my next car is best," until his death at 90.
Personal Sacrifices and a Singular Focus
Ferrari’s obsession came at a cost. He never took a vacation, stating, "One must keep working continuously, otherwise one thinks of death." His personal life suffered, as he admitted, "I should not have married because a man dominated by a passion such as mine can hardly divide himself in half and be a good husband. If I had listened to my wife, I would have been a clerk in a bus company." Living simply despite his wealth, Ferrari reinvested everything into his company, finding fulfillment in work alone.
Conclusion: A Dream Realized
When asked how he wanted to be remembered, Ferrari replied, "As someone who dreamt of becoming Ferrari." This encapsulates his life’s work: a man animated by an extraordinary passion that led him to build a product with no equal.
As the host reflects, "Like all masterpieces, it bespeaks the character of its creator." Ferrari’s legacy endures not just in his cars, but in the indomitable spirit that drove him to transform a childhood spark into a global icon.
The episode concludes with Ferrari’s own words on his obsession: "Everything that I’ve done, I did because I couldn’t do anything less. One day I want to build a car that’s faster than all of them, and then I want to die."
Through his relentless pursuit, Ferrari achieved that dream, leaving behind a name synonymous with speed, excellence, and unrelenting ambition.
Crepi il lupo! 🐺