There are a lot of titles assigned to Ferrari fans and their lifestyle—Tifosi, Essere Ferrari, and the Prancing Horse. A large part of being Ferrari is paying homage to the Scuderia’s origins in Modena in Northern Italy. And while not many would take this legacy back to the days of the Ancient Roman Empire, the name Scuderia actually harkens back to that time.
Scuderia Ferrari, though taken to mean Team Ferrari today, actually means ‘Stable Ferrari’ in Italian. When Enzo Ferrari founded the group in 1939 as a division of Alfa Romeo, and eventually struck out on his own in the late 1940s, his emphasis was on motorsports—but with a keen acknowledgment of Italy’s longstanding history of horse racing.
Today, betting on Formula One races is a common pastime for sports fans. In fact, the spirit of the Italian GP in Monza stretches back thousands of years. Along with Ancient China, some of the earliest origins of gambling come from Ancient Rome, at which time locals wagered on events like gladiator fights and, of course, chariot races.
There’s a huge stretch of time and a considerable distance from the Circus Maximus of Ancient Rome, founded in the 6th century BCE, and Modena, Italy where Enzo set up shop in the mid-20th century. However, the ties between Ancient Roman horseracing and modern Scuderia fans highlight the Italian Peninsula’s penchant for speed.
Innovation in Design & Technology
The most basic and lasting tie between the Circus Maximus and Ferrari in Formula One racing is a keen eye for detail related to design and technology. Before a driver strapped into his vehicle or a charioteer took up the reigns, countless hours and attention had gone into the design of all the equipment.
Today, technological advancement is the cornerstone of success in F1. Teams need to build robust cars that are lightning quick, tinkering with formulas to find a new path to success as nine other teams also look for any microscopic changes that might lead to victory. Back in 1982, for example, Ferrari nabbed the constructors’ title for creating the very first turbocharged engine.
This spirit of refining and perfecting design, for nailing performance and aesthetic, harkens back to the earliest chariot races. Then, the emphasis was on alleviating the weight put on the axis. Earlier charioteers innovated dual body designs to become quicker, while also seeking out the strongest and quickest horses.
Red, Blue, White, & Green
The second tie between modern Tifosi and the crowds around the Circus Maximus is their group identity. The concept of Essere Ferrari, introduced only a few years ago, is about embodying the Ferrari spirit, representing the Prancing Horse with pride and an emphasis on ingenuity and heart.
Two and a half thousand years ago, this passionate representation was split between four groups that competed in chariot races: red, blue, white, and green. Much like today’s modern F1 landscape, these teams were sponsored by different groups (and had ties to different gods and goddesses, such as Mars).
Much like in Ancient Rome, many Scuderia fans are intergenerational. They’ve supported Ferrari when it was on top with drivers like Schumacher, and continue to support the team as they search for glory with LeClerc. The same can be said of Ancient Rome, when the track’s color-coded teams took on a great significance to spectators.
A Need for Speed
Back in 2017, Ferrari conceived of a brand-new race founded on horsepower. Ferrari driver Fabio Barone would race a horse-drawn chariot in Castel Romana (used to reshoot the classic film Ben Hur), in a Ferrari 458. The idea was to highlight Ferrari’s earliest origins in Roman chariot races.
To make the playing field level, the two-horse chariot was given a half-lap head start and the 458 didn’t use traction control. Unsurprisingly, the Ferrari quickly passed the horse drawn chariot—though Barone mentioned his brakes were shot after the first turn.
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