Ferrari F2003-GA

The Ferrari F2003-GA was the car used by Scuderia Ferrari in the 2003 Formula 1 season, designed by Rory Byrne and Ross Brawn. Its development was based on the previous Ferrari F2002, featuring bulbous sidepods and a lengthened wheelbase to aid aerodynamics. The engine and gearbox were developed versions of the previous model. The car was designated "GA" as a mark of respect to Gianni Agnelli, the recently deceased head of Fiat.

The car was introduced just before mid season in 2003, as the F2002 was seen as good enough to be competitive whilst the F2003-GA was developed further. The car was fast and competitive, but had a tendency to overuse its tyres, which led to several late race tyre problems in mid seasons, during the unusually hot European summer. As a result, Williams and McLaren were able to mount a consistent challenge to Ferrari and push Michael Schumacher for the championship.

After Bridgestone engineers discovered Michelin were using tyres which changed construction, causing the French tyre maker to provide remoulded tyres late in the season, Ferrari became competitive again, and were able to hold off both Williams and McLaren for the constructors' championship, whilst Schumacher snatched his sixth drivers' title, breaking Juan Manuel Fangio's record which had stood for 46 years.

Enzo Ferrari

Enzo Anselmo Ferrari, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI (Italian pronunciation: [ˈɛntso anˈsɛlmo ferˈraːri]; 18 February 1898 – 14 August 1988) was an Italian motor racing driver and entrepreneur, the founder of the Scuderia Ferrari Grand Prix motor racing team, and subsequently of the Ferrari automobile marque. He was widely known as "il Commendatore" or "il Drake". In his final years he was often referred to as "l'Ingegnere" or "il Grande Vecchio (the Great Old Man)".

Early life

Ferrari was born on 18 February 1898 in Modena, Italy. His birth certificate had recorded his birth date on 20 February because a heavy snowstorm had prevented his father from reporting the birth at the local registry office. He was the younger of two children to Alfredo and Adalgisa Ferrari (née Bisbini), after his elder sibling Alfredo Junior (Dino). Alfredo Senior was the son of grocer from Carpi and started a workshop fabricating metal parts at the family home. Enzo grew up with little formal education. At the age of 10 he witnessed Felice Nazzaro's win at the 1908 Circuit di Bologna, an event that inspired him to become a racing driver. During World War I he was assigned to the third Alpine Artillery division of the Italian Army. His father Alfredo, as well as his older brother, Alfredo Jr., died in 1916 as a result of a widespread Italian flu outbreak. Ferrari became severely sick himself in the 1918 flu pandemic and was consequently discharged from Italian service.

Ferrari 553

The Ferrari 553 was a racing car produced by Ferrari which raced in 1953 as a Formula Two car and in 1954 as a Formula One car. The 1953 553 F2 car was raced in the 1953 World Drivers' Championship by Umberto Maglioli and Piero Carini. It was first raced at Monza in the 1953 Italian Grand Prix on September 13, 1953. In 1954 the Ferrari 553 F1 car replaced it when the World Championship returned to F1 specifications.

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Ferrari 340

The Ferrari 340 Mexico was a Ferrari race car. It used 4.1l Lampredi V12 engine producing around 280bhp. Just 4 were made in 1952, 3 Vignale Berlinettas and 1 Vignale Spyder; all designed by Giovanni Michelotti.

The Ferrari 340 MM was a more powerful version of the 340 Mexico which was intended for the Carrera Panamericana. The use of Weber carburettors helped the 340 achieve 280 hp (209 kW) at 6600 rpm. 11 examples were made, 4 Pinin Farina Berlinettas, 2 Touring Spyders and 5 Vignale Spyders (designed by Giovanni Michelotti). Some were converted to 375 MM spec.

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