Enzo Ferrari's life

[Ferrari-girl]

Hello everybody, I'm new on this forum and I'm a bit lost because there are so many interesting threads that I don't know where to start!
But I've got a question, I'm writing a special for a Dutch website about Enzo's life. And I read somewhere that Enzo never visited the F1. Is this true? On the website I read that they say that Enzo didn't want to see his car break down and that this was a way he could blaim the other people if a race went bad. I hope some of you know more about this! FORZA FERRARI !!!

[REDARMYSOJA]

On the website I read that they say that Enzo didn't want to see his car break down and that this was a way he could blaim the other people if a race went bad

Things like this are why you have to be very careful when researching Enzo. There are people who will say things about him either out of ignorance or out of malice.

Enzo did quit going to races, but before that he attended many. You have to remember Enzo was a driver himself before the war and ran Alfa Romeo's racing department, so he had been to plenty of races.

As for Enzo not wanting to see his car break down so he could blame it on the driver, well, that's a load of crap.

Enzo did say one time that he couldn't stand to see his cars tortured and quit driving himself because he couldn't inflict upon a machine the torture needed to win. (Even though he did win). But he didn't blame a driver or others every time a race went bad, if ever. You have to also remember Enzo had seen and competed in literally thousands of races and having been a driver, mechanic, team manager and just about anything else involving racing he knew better than anyone that sometimes things just don't go your way.

Like I say, be careful what you read and believe about Enzo because many want nothing but to vilify him and bring him down. Even all these years after his death.

[Ferrari-girl]

Thanks for answering my question about Enzo!

I've got some other things I want to know if they are true or not: Is it true that Laura Ferrari wanted to become involved at Ferrari, but that this frustrated Enzo so much that he sought solace with his mistress?
This is the site where I've read this, it's the same as where I read that Enzo never attended races: http://www.enterf1.com/news/070-the-bite-point.asp

[Liscia]

Ferrari-girl that may have been a factor. His wife took to going to races with the team after the Commendatore stopped and was
very much resented for her high-handedness and interference. She was the major cause of the dismissal of many key personnel like Romolo Tavoni and Carlo Chiti
(among others) who were key to bringing the 1961 championship to the team. Tavoni recounts this tale in an article by Pritchard about the 1961 season
in the current (here in USA) issue of the British magazine Motorsport which I read yesterday at a bookshop - you may want check it's availability in your area.
It's not a very pleasant tale but who really knows the truth these 50 years later? Laura Ferrari WAS reputed to be quite a piece of work and maybe even slightly
batty by many accounts and Enzo probably wasn't happy at home ergo his need to find "something soft" elsewhere. Top of the Season to you and good luck with your
researches.

[REDARMYSOJA]

Oh my, Laura Ferrari! What a piece of work she was. From all I know Liscia gave you a very accurate account of Laura and her meddling.

If you want to know more, read this...

http://www.forix.com/8w/ats.html


Oh, and get rid of that source you have been using. Use the 8W site from now on. The folks who do that site are true racing historians and very accurate. There is lots more very interesting stories there not just about Ferrari and their drivers but many other teams. Poke around the site a bit and you'll see what I mean.

[Ferrari-girl]

REDARMYSOJA, thanks for the site, it's indeed a lot better then the site i've found!!!
I've got one more question: Is it true that Enzo's dead wasn't announced till 2 days later, as a compensation for the fact that his father had registered his birth 2 days later. Because of heavy snowfall his father couldn't register the day Enzo was born. Or is this also false?