Enzo Ferrari, formerly a salesman and racing driver for Alfa Romeo, founded Scuderia Ferrari, a racing team, in 1929. Alfa Romeo supplied racing cars to Ferrari, and the team won many races before its liquidation in 1937. In 1937, Scuderia Ferrari was absorbed into Alfa Romeo, but Enzo Ferrari's disagreements with management led him to leave in 1939. He founded his own company, "Auto Avio Costruzioni," intending to produce his own cars. The company produced the Auto Avio Costruzioni 815, which participated in one race before World War II. In 1943, the company's factory moved to Maranello, where Ferrari remains today.
In 1945, Ferrari adopted its current name. Work began on a new V12 engine for the 125 S, the marque's first car. The company found success in motorsport almost immediately, with the 125 S winning races in 1947. Early victories, including the 1949 24 Hours of Le Mans and 1951 Carrera Panamericana, built Ferrari's reputation. In 1960, Ferrari was reorganized as a public company. Fiat bought 50% of Ferrari's shares in 1969.
Enzo Ferrari died in 1988, and Fiat expanded its stake to 90%. Luca di Montezemolo succeeded Enzo Ferrari in 1991, and under his chairmanship, the company greatly expanded. He increased the profitability of Ferrari's road cars and oversaw a drastic improvement in Ferrari's Formula One performance. After Montezemolo resigned, Sergio Marchionne oversaw Ferrari's initial public offering and spin-off from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Benedetto Vigna replaced Louis Camilleri as CEO in 2021 and has announced plans for Ferrari's first fully electric model.
Ferrari has been involved in motorsport since its beginnings. Through Scuderia Ferrari, it has competed in Formula One and sports car racing. Scuderia Ferrari has been continuously active in Formula One since its inception, fielding fifteen champion drivers and winning sixteen Constructors' Championships. The team holds many records in F1 history.
The earliest Ferrari entity, Scuderia Ferrari, was created in 1929 as a Grand Prix racing team. It was affiliated with Alfa Romeo. Scuderia Ferrari was highly successful in the 1930s, winning 144 out of 225 races. Ferrari returned to Grand Prix racing in 1947. The team's first homebuilt Grand Prix car, the 125 F1, was first raced at the 1948 Italian Grand Prix. Ferrari's first victory in an F1 series was at the 1951 British Grand Prix. Notable Ferrari drivers from this era include Alberto Ascari and Juan Manuel Fangio.
After a drought, Ferrari saw a long winning streak in the 2000s, largely through the work of Michael Schumacher. He gave Ferrari five consecutive drivers' titles between 2000 and 2004. Ferrari also won six consecutive constructors' titles starting in 1999. After Schumacher's departure, Ferrari won one more drivers' title in 2007 with Kimi Räikkönen and two constructors' titles in 2007 and 2008.
Ferrari's junior driver programme is the Ferrari Driver Academy, begun in 2009. Drivers accepted into the Academy learn formula racing as they compete in feeder classes. As of 2019, 5 out of 18 inductees had become F1 drivers, with Charles Leclerc racing for Scuderia Ferrari.
Ferrari began racing sports cars in 1947, with the 125 S winning six out of ten races. By 1957, Ferrari had won three World Sportscar Championships and seven Mille Miglia victories. This success continued into the 1960s, with Ferrari winning at Le Mans for six consecutive years. In 2023, Ferrari reentered prototype sports car racing, fielding two 499P sports prototypes in partnership with AF Corse for the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship. The 499P finished first at the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans, ending Toyota Gazoo Racing's winning streak. Ferrari repeated this feat at the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 2025, Ferrari secured the Manufacturers' and Drivers' titles in the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship.
The first vehicle made with the Ferrari name was the 125 S. In 1949, the 166 Inter was introduced, marking the company's move into the grand touring road car market. Road cars became the bulk of Ferrari sales. Early Ferrari road cars typically featured bodywork designed by independent coachbuilders. Ferrari's early road cars were typically two-seat front-engined V12s. In the late 1960s and 1970s, Ferrari expanded into mid-engined layouts and smaller engine configurations through models developed under the Dino name. The Ferrari SF90 Stradale was Ferrari's first series-production road car to feature plug-in hybrid architecture. Ferrari stated it would showcase its first fully electric vehicle at its Capital Markets Day on October 9, 2025.
Many consider the 1984 288 GTO the first in the line of Ferrari flagship supercars. This pedigree extends through the F40, F50, Enzo, LaFerrari, and the F80. Prior to the unveiling of the F80, these cars were commonly referred to as the "Big Five."
Ferrari's symbol is the "Prancing Horse" (Italian: Cavallino Rampante), a prancing black horse on a yellow background. Enzo Ferrari recounted that the family of Francesco Baracca, a deceased flying ace, suggested Ferrari adopt the horse as a good luck charm. The Prancing Horse was first used by his racing team in 1932. The rectangular Prancing Horse has been used since 1947, when the Ferrari 125 S became the first to wear it.
For many years, rosso corsa ('racing red') was the required color of all Italian racing cars. It is closely associated with Ferrari. Even after livery regulations changed, Scuderia Ferrari continued to paint its cars bright red. In 2012, 40 percent of Ferraris left the factory painted red. Some Ferrari vehicles, such as the 288 GTO, have only been made available in red. In 1964, Ferrari protested FIA homologation requirements by moving its racing assets to the North American Racing Team. As a result, Ferrari and John Surtees won the 1964 Formula One season in American colors: blue, with a white racing stripe.
In 1963, Enzo Ferrari was approached by the Ford Motor Company about a possible buyout. Enzo Ferrari unilaterally cut off negotiations when he realized the deal would not allow him to stay at the helm of the company's racing program. Henry Ford II then directed his racing division to build a car capable of beating Ferrari, resulting in the Ford GT40 in 1964. FIAT later purchased controlling interests in the company in 1969. Enzo Ferrari retained a 10% share, now owned by his son Piero Lardi Ferrari.
Ferrari has an internally managed merchandising line that licenses many products bearing the Ferrari brand. Ferrari also runs a museum, the Museo Ferrari in Maranello. In 1997, Ferrari launched the Formula Uomo program to improve corporate efficiency and employee happiness. Ferrari has a long-standing relationship with Shell Oil, which develops and supplies fuel and oils to Scuderia Ferrari's Formula One and World Endurance Championship teams. Ferrari announced an agreement to supply power units to the Cadillac entry via Andretti Formula Racing for the 2026 regulations cycle.
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