Podcasts · Great Business Stories

Enzo Ferrari: The Obsession Behind the Prancing Horse

2 Sep 2026 · 32 min

Now I’m not a big petrol head, but as some of you might know, I love Formula 1, and I think it's fair to say that Formula 1 wouldn’t be where it is today without Ferrari—so I was really keen to dig into this.

And what a story.

Enzo Ferrari wasn’t your typical business guy. Most people think of Ferrari as a company that builds expensive road cars and also happens to race. But for Enzo Ferrari, the road car business was really secondary—those beautiful, expensive cars were made for one reason only—it was to fund his obsession with racing.

And it was an obsession.

He valued his engines more than his drivers. He had little time for his family, but still made time for numerous affairs.

He could be a charming, funny and brilliant salesman, but he could also be cold, ruthless and very difficult.

And he makes for a cracking story.

The episode on the publisher’s site ↗ (opens in a new tab)