Ford v. Ferrari True Story
The True Story of Ford v. Ferrari Is Pure Petty Drama, And We're Here For It
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Ford v. Ferrari deals with your classic "elite team of misfits does the impossible" story. In real life, though, the backstory behind why they were trying to do something unusual in the first place is a gloriously petty tale of bruised egos and rejected business deals.
In the early 1960s, the American auto dealer Ford, run at the time by Henry Ford II, was interested in acquiring the Italian luxury brand Ferrari. According to Top Gear, a deal was in place by May 1963. However, when the time came to close the deal, Ferrari owner Enzo Ferrari — who, some believe, never intended to close the sale at all — changed his mind and withdrew.
Ford returned to his company, furious at the deal slipping through his fingers. He famously told his right-hand man, Don Frey, to "go to Le Mans [car race] and beat [Ferrari's] a**."