Is the Ferrari movie based on a true story? Similarities and differences explained

Ferrari, the latest movie to hit cinemas this Christmas, follows the story of the silver-haired car tycoon behind the Italian race car dynasty.

Boasting a fitting last name, Adam Driver stars in the leading role alongside Penelope Cruz in a dramatisation of the biography Enzo Ferrari: The Man, the Cars, the Races, the Machine.

The film traces the story of Ferrari as he enters his cars into the 1957 Mille Miglia race.

Although one of Ferrari's cars went on to win the Italian race, another was involved in a fatal collision.

Ferrari joins a growing list of biographical movies that have been released in recent years, following Ford vs. Ferrari, Elvis, and Maestro.

So how accurate is the new Ferrari film? Here is your ultimate guide.

Is Ferrari based on a true story?

Set in 1957, the film follows Ferrari's personal life and role as a leading figure in the motorsport world.

As depicted in the movie, Ferrari is married to Laura Garello, but the couple's relationship starts to crumble following the death of their son, Dino. Ferrari then embarks on an affair with Lina Lardi, with whom he has a son, Piero.

As well as tracing Ferrari's personal life, the film covers the Mille Miglia car race. It also conveys Ferrari's determination to create faster and more famous cars.

Held on the public roads of Italy, the annual race helped to raise the profile of leading race cars such as Maserati and Porsche.

However, 1957 would mark the race's final year after the tragic incident involving a Ferrari car that killed nine spectators, as well as race car driver Alfonso De Portago and his navigator, Edmund Nelson.

Gabriele Lalli, a Ferrari expert quoted in Town & Country, said the film captured the general mood at the time but wasn't 100 per cent historically accurate.

“The movie is not a historical document,” Lalli, who also advised on the film, told the outlet.

“What I can tell you is that it gives you a portrait of the situation that Ferrari himself was in. You’re left with the right impression of what was happening in the period, even if it isn’t always exactly accurate.

"You understand what was going on.”

Who was Enzo Ferrari?

Born in 1898, he was an Italian racing car driver and the founder of Ferrari.

Having competed in multiple motor races and grands prix in his younger life, Ferrari retired from racing after the birth of his son, Dino.

He then brought together a team of superstar race drivers called the Scuderia Ferrari, before making his racing vehicles which became an instant hit.

Ferrari helped to develop many leading race cars that won countless racing events in the 1950s and 1960s.

While Ferrari's racing glory would later be succeeded by other marques, its founder firmly established its name as a leader in sports cars.

"Ask a child to draw a car, and certainly he will draw it red," Ferrari is quoted as saying, referring to the brand's influence.

While a leading figure in the racing world, Ferrari was also a notoriously private person. The Motor Web Museum revealed several unusual anecdotes about him, claiming he always wore sunglasses and never went in a lift or took a holiday.

Ferrari continued to enter his vehicles into races right until he died in 1988 aged 90.

What are the big differences between the film and real life?

Director Michael Mann decided to base the movie on a small section of Ferrari's life. However, many features have been accredited as being true to real-world events.

For instance, Ferrari did have a wife as well as a mistress who gave him a son. What's more, it's believed to be accurate that the Ferrari business was facing financial difficulties.

To get the details right, Driver even wore prosthetics on his neck to help resemble the 60-year-old Ferrari.

Even Ferrari's son, Piero has claimed that the film captures the real essence of his father. He told the Los Angeles Times: "You can say you like the movie or not, but the story in this case is a real story — it’s really what happened."

What is Enzo Ferrari's net worth?

Multiple reports have said Ferrari's net worth was around $50 million (£39m) at the time of his death.

Ferrari reportedly didn't lead a luxurious life and instead invested most time and energy into his racing cars.

His business often operated at a loss when he was alive, but the Ferrari brand was at the time of writing worth a market cap of $61 billion (£48bn).