Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy, founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1928 as Scuderia Ferrari. Scuderia is Italian for "stable", and Ferrari refers to Enzo Ferrari, the founder of the company. The company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles in 1947 as Ferrari S.p.A.. Throughout its history, the company has been noted for its continued participation in racing, especially in Formula One. Ferrari first competed in F1 in 1948 (the team's first F1 car was the Tipo 125 F1), making it the oldest team left in the championship and statistically the most successful one (with a record of 15 drivers’ championships and 16 constructors’ championships won).

After years of financial struggles, Enzo Ferrari sold the company's sports car division to the Fiat group in 1969 to ensure continued financial backing. Enzo Ferrari retained control of the racing division until his death in 1988 at the age of 90. Earlier that year he had overseen the launch of the Ferrari F40, the last new Ferrari to be launched before his death, and arguably one of the most famous supercars ever made.

The prancing horse in the logo was the symbol on Italian World War I ace Francesco Baracca’s fighter plane, and became the logo of Ferrari after the fallen ace's parents, good friends with Enzo Ferrari, asked him so, to continue his tradition of sportsmanship, gallantry and boldness.