Enzo Anselmo Ferrari dies in Maranello, Italy, at the age of 90.
The name Ferrari is synonymous with racing, speed, and performance of the four-wheel variety. But, Enzo Ferrari was a confirmed bike nut, riding motorcycles until fairly late in life. Surprisingly, he was not an Italian bike guy, but he rode a beautifully restored Rudge similar to the one he had as a young man.
Ferrari chose several motorcycle racers to drive his cars, believing that racing on two-wheels was good exercise for racing on four-wheels. Two of the more noticeable names being Tazio Nuvolari and John Surtees. Nuvolari, who was the 1925 350cc European Motorcycling Champion and four-time Nations Grand Prix winner, became the first great Ferrari driver, winning Ferrari's first race after switching from Bianchi permanently in the early 1930's. Surtees is the only man to take both bike and car world titles. He was a four-time 500cc motorcycle World Champion with titles in 1956, 1958, 1959 and 1960 and then winning the 1964 World Championship for Ferrari.
The Italian Grand Prix was held just weeks after Ferrari's death, and, fittingly, the result was a 1–2 finish for Ferrari.
In 1994, Enzo Ferrari was posthumously inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.
Today in motorcycle history is a proud supporter of the National Association for Bikers with Disability (NABD). www.nabd.org.uk
Today in motorcycle history is a proud supporter of the National Association for Bikers with Disability (NABD). www.nabd.org.uk
