In the aftermath of World War II, Enzo Ferrari and his wife Laura (played by Penélope Cruz) established their automobile company, Auto Construzioni Ferrari, which took shape in 1947. Fast forward to the sweltering summer of 1957, the tenacious Italian entrepreneur Enzo Ferrari (portrayed by Adam Driver) finds himself entrenched in both personal and professional turmoil while preparing his racing team for the Mille Miglia—a grueling open-road endurance race stretching a thousand miles. The couple grapples with the unbearable grief of their only son, Dino, who tragically passed away a year earlier, deepening the rift between them.
While Laura remains unaware of her husband's infidelities, Enzo's mistress, Lina Lardi (played by Shailene Woodley), is pressuring him to bestow the Ferrari name upon their illegitimate son, Piero (portrayed by Giuseppe Festinese), as his confirmation approaches.
In a bid to bolster the upcoming racing season, Enzo seeks to hire accomplished Maserati driver Jean Behra (depicted by Derek Hill). However, his visit to Lina delays his arrival at the train station where he fails to meet Behra, who has plans to challenge the world record held by Eugenio Castellotti (played by Marino Franchitti), one of Ferrari's own drivers. The emotional burden weighs heavily on Enzo, who emotionally connects with his late son Dino during heartfelt visits to his grave, confessing, “Laura is not the woman I fell in love with anymore."
Amidst this turmoil, Enzo's mother, Adalgisa (portrayed by Daniela Piperno), echoes her own grief, lamenting the loss of her son Alfredo during the war and reflecting on a perceived injustice in losing the wrong child. Tension escalates when Behra successfully breaks Ferrari's speed record, leading to a catastrophic turn when Eugenio suffers a tragic accident on the track, leaving behind his fiancé Cecilia Manzini (played by Valentina Bellè).
As the media begins to point fingers at Enzo for a troubling driver safety record, he finds himself at odds with Laura, who traditionally oversees the company’s finances. In a turn of events, Laura halts the paycheck for Eugenio, yet Enzo insists she provide Cecilia with funds to secure her future. Simultaneously, desperate to keep the business afloat amidst crippling financial losses, Enzo's accountant, Giacomo Cuoghi (portrayed by Giuseppe Bonifati), advises him to secure a financial partner to elevate production to a staggering 400 cars annually, a goal that hinges on their success at the Mille Miglia.
As Ferrari secures Alfonso De Portago for the race team, he cautions the driver to keep personal distractions away from the track, emphasizing the importance of maintaining focus. The stakes rise as other notable drivers, including Carlo Chiti (played by Michele Savoia) and entries from Peter Collins, Piero Taruffi, and Wolfgang Von Trips hit the tracks.
Caught in a precarious situation, Enzo faces mounting pressure to merge with another company to sustain operations. However, Laura holds half of Ferrari's shares, necessitating that Enzo persuades her to relinquish control. In a tense showdown, Laura's conditions threaten to bankrupt the business, yet their intertwined lives push them toward an unavoidable confrontation.
As the iconic Mille Miglia race commences in Brescia, Enzo finds himself pitted against Adolfo Orsi (Domenico Fortunato) and amid fierce competition with Maserati. With the race on the line, Ferrari pushes his team to elevate their performance, ultimately leading to tragic consequences when Alfonso De Portago's reckless decision during the race results in a catastrophic crash, claiming the lives of numerous onlookers and leaving an indelible mark on the racing community.
In the wake of the accident and relentless media scrutiny, Laura takes drastic action. She cashes in a check, using the funds as bribe money for journalists while strategically maneuvering to sign over full rights to the company, stipulating that Enzo must delay granting Piero the Ferrari name until after her passing.
The legacy of Ferrari weathers the storm, with Piero emerging as a vital figure within the company as Enzo finds solace in his bond with Lina, as well as in the memories of his son. Ultimately, Laura passes away in 1978, leaving the infamous legacy of Ferrari in the capable hands of Piero, who navigates the intricate landscape of the automotive world as Vice Chairman.
