1929-1932. Ferrari: The Scuderia, The Prancing Horse, Dino and the retirement

The profound crisis that shook America and had serious economic and political repercussions across Europe, began with the Wall Street crash on 29th October 1929. Enzo Ferrari, with the fundamental financial support of partners and drivers, founded Scuderia Ferrari on 16th November of the same year. Perfect timing? Yes, but it wasn’t deliberate: Ferrari, a brilliant Alfa Romeo driver, troubled by the numerous disagreements with his wife, Laura, and burdened by the fear of having a fatal accident during a race, had already thought about creating a structure that would take care of organizing the participation of semi-professional drivers at the races, men who were always well-off, which is not an insignificant fact – and provide assistance and maintenance for the cars.

The fact that his vision, even before the global crisis, went well beyond the original project, was demonstrated by the fact that two small but significant shares of the Scuderia had also been underwritten by Alfa Romeo and Pirelli. The crisis that had affected every sector, putting manufacturers at risk of no longer having the means to set up official teams, gave Ferrari the chance to think big to the point of contracting two highly respectable champions, Campari and Nuvolari for all those races they did not enter into officially with the Alfa Romeo team. Nuvolari was already famous for his legendary exploits at races such as the time he defeated his arch enemy Varzi at the 1000 Miglia, tailing him at night with his headlights off and then overtaking him in total surprise! Thanks to a loan granted to him by Banco San Geminiano e San Prospero, to which he always remained loyal, the young Ferrari, who was 31 years old at the time, bought four 1.5 and 1.7 litre, six cylinder Alfa Romeos and a P2 destined for Campari.