By 1952, barely five years into manufacturing world class performance automobiles, and with well over a dozen important international Grand Prix and sports car wins under its belt, Ferrari had quickly become the world’s post-war poster child for racing success with both sports cars and Formula One machinery.
In those first five years, between 1948 and 1952, the small company from Maranello, Italy, claimed the Mille Miglia four times—from 1948 through 1951—the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1949, and the Targa Florio in 1948 and 1949. In addition to the Mille Miglia victory in 1951, that year also found Ferrari winning the British, German and Italian Grands Prix, plus the Tour de France Automobile and the Carrera Panamerica. Yes, Enzo Ferrari was on a roll, riding high and living his dream after the difficult years of World War II.