Laura Ferrari: Enzo Ferrari’s Wife and the Guardian of the Red Empire, Their Only Son’s Life Ended at 24
The recent Ferrari movie has grabbed the attention of millions of fans worldwide. The biopic, starring Adam Driver as Enzo Ferrari, told the tumultuous journey of the iconic Italian automaker—juggling his personal and career struggles.
However, while critics lauded Driver’s acting, the audience was captivated by the portrayal of Oscar winner, Penelope Cruz as the enigmatic wife and business partner of the automobile legend, Laura Ferrari.
Suffice it to say that Cruz’s powerful performance and Michael Mann’s incredible direction opened Pandora’s box about Laura’s role in the legacy of the multi-billion automobile brand.
Like many who’ve watched the film, if you’re curious about the real Laura Ferrari’s life, here’s everything we know about her. A little bit of warning, though, you may find some minor spoilers about the movie below.
Who Was Laura Ferrari?
Unfortunately, very little is known about Enzo Ferrari’s wife. Even Michael Mann, the film’s director, was forced to hunt down people related to Laura just to catch glimpses of her real story.
“Nobody knew about Laura,” the The Girl of Your Dreams actress told Entertainment Weekly. “We ended up looking for people who knew her, and even talking to strangers in the street, because there was very little written about her.”
Cruz added that all she initially heard about Laura was that she “was crazy” and “people were scared of her.” Determined to uncover the truth, Cruz and Mann dug their heels to “see who this woman really was” and “give her a voice.”
To which I say, they’ve done so phenomenally.
Image source: Google
Meeting and Marriage to Enzo
Most only know Laura as Enzo Ferrari’s wife. She was born Laura Garrello and met Enzo in 1921 in Turin when the automobile icon was still 20.
Laura was a dancer and a few years younger than Enzo, who struck him as “beautiful, blonde, elegant, petite, and with lovely eyes.” The two immediately fell in love, dated, and married in 1923.
A series of letters between the couple would later surface, revealing the warm relationship earlier in their marriage. In said letters, Enzo would refer to Laura as “Cara Laura” or “Laura carissima.”
Image source: Classiccourses
Laura became a crucial figure in the multi-billion company’s early history. When Enzo was just starting Ferrari, she pawned her prized wedding ring to support its funding.
“Without asking him, she pawned a wedding gift he gave her to build the first car…they didn’t have the money to buy the components,” Mann revealed at a Deadline panel in November 2023.
A Troubled Marriage Life
After several years together, on January 19, 1932, they welcomed their first and only son, Alfredo, who went by “Dino.” Moved by his son’s birth, Enzo gave up racing for Alfa Romeo and decided to build his legacy as a car manufacturer.
Image source: Google
For Enzo, the next decades were marked by a series of successes. He established his own automobile company, participated in the WWⅡ efforts, and dominated the race track with his creations.
For his wife, Laura, however, life wasn’t as rosy. Her husband had several affairs throughout their marriage, including Enzo’s decade-long relationship with Lardi that lasted for decades, according to The Guardian.
Enzo’s unfaithfulness would become a primary source of friction between the couple whose affection for each other was already fading.
Much to Laura’s disappointment, Enzo and her mistress had a child, Pierro, in 1945. By this time, her son, Dino was only 13. In an attempt to avert public criticism, the family kept Pierro’s real identity hidden until Laura’s death in 1978.
Image source: Motorsport magazine
The Tragic Death of Her Son, Dino
Laura and Enzo’s world, however, was further shaken by their son’s death on June 30, 1956. He died from what later doctors diagnosed as muscular dystrophy, a malady that causes progressive loss of muscle.
Dino’s death only widened the gulf between Laura and Enzo’s marriage. With the heartbreaking loss, Laura became critical of their company. She started interfering with the operations, which caused frequent disagreements between her and their employees.
Around 1961, Enzo, who became more reclusive after his son’s death, fired eight senior managers who reportedly complained about Laura’s behavior.
Despite her troubled marriage to the automaker legend and her son’s tragic death, Laura remained married to Enzo until the end. After her death, Enzo gave his surname to his only remaining son, Pierro.
Image source: Google
“This woman was involved from day one,” Cruz said to Entertainment Weekly. “If she had such a difficult personality, it was because of her loss and her deep pain, her struggle to make it through the end of the day each day.”
Final Thoughts
Laura Ferrari’s story is a bittersweet tale—a loving mother and supportive wife scarred by loss and betrayal. Despite that, as Mann’s film highlighted, her role in the development of the Ferrari name as we know it today was incredibly pivotal and should be celebrated.
Featured image source: Motorsport magazine
