Summary
A. J. Baime tells the story of the Ford–Ferrari rivalry at Le Mans in the 1960s. Henry Ford II wanted a racing car that could challenge Ferrari and help change Ford's image. Lee Iacocca, Carroll Shelby, drivers and engineers helped turn that aim into a racing program.
The story brings commercial ambition together with the demands of endurance racing: designing a car, organizing people, handling failure and competing under pressure. Ferrari's commitment to his cars and racing runs through the account. The danger is part of the story too, in an era when racing accidents often killed drivers and spectators.
Why read it Our view
Read it for the relationship between product ambition, a company's image and the work needed to compete. The rivalry gives founders a way to think about the cost of a competitive goal, the people needed to deliver it and the pressure a public contest puts on judgment.
Written about
- Enzo FerrariBook subjectBaime describes Ferrari and the rivalry with Henry Ford II at Le Mans.Source