On 5 October 1919, 21-year-old Enzo Ferrari made his competitive racing debut in the demanding Parma–Poggio di Berceto hill climb in northern Italy. Driving a CMN 15/20 HP for Costruzioni Meccaniche Nazionali, Ferrari finished 11th overall and fourth in his class.
The result was hardly spectacular, but its historical significance would become enormous. Ferrari had joined the newly established Milanese CMN as a test driver before being promoted to racing driver, with encouragement from experienced racer Ugo Sivocci. The CMN itself had only been established in 1919, making the event an early opportunity for both driver and manufacturer to establish themselves through competition.
Ferrari entered the Targa Florio later that year, finishing ninth after a fuel-tank problem caused a lengthy delay. In 1920, he moved to Alfa Romeo, where his racing career developed rapidly. He scored his first major victory at the Circuito del Savio in 1923 and became increasingly involved in managing racing operations.
In 1929, Ferrari founded Scuderia Ferrari, initially as a racing organisation associated with Alfa Romeo. Nearly two decades after his first competitive drive, the first Ferrari-badged cars appeared in 1947.
The journey from an 11th-place debut to one of motorsport’s most influential marques began on a mountain road in Italy.
