This is why Adam Driver wasn’t allowed to actually drive a Ferrari while filming ‘Ferrari’
Published on Sep 04, 2023 at 4:26 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on May 13, 2025 at 8:07 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Alessandro Renesis
Adam Driver stars as Enzo Ferrari in Michael Mann’s upcoming biopic ‘Ferrari‘.
The irony is the 39-year-old Hollywood star was actually not allowed to drive a Ferrari sports car while filming the movie.
READ MORE: Fresh from House of Gucci, Adam Driver to star in movie about Ferrari
Ferrari is famously super fastidious when it comes to who can do what with its cars.
That’s why we often hear about this or that celebrity being banned or blacklisted by the brand.
However, for once, Ferrari’s unique policy didn’t play a part in the whole thing.
The movie is set in 1957 and it only features cars from that era.
To say that those cars are tricky to get your hands on, let alone drive, would be an understatement.
The producers were simply too worried about the cars, and more importantly about Adam Driver’s safety, to take that risk.
The Academy-nominated actor himself explained what happened behind the scenes at a press conference for the film at the 80th Venice Film Festival.
“They were the scariest things on set, but they wouldn’t let me drive the cars for insurance reasons,” Adam Driver said.
However, not everyone on set was barred from driving the cars.
Former Grey’s Anatomy star and known car enthusiast Patrick Dempsey had the chance to get behind the wheel of some of the 1950s Ferraris featured in the movie.
“It was quite terrifying. Driving a modern car you have a roll cage, but there was no cage with these cars,” Dempsey said.
Dempsey plays Italian Formula One driver Piero Taruffi in the movie.
So why could Dempsey get behind the wheel while Adam Driver couldn’t?
Well, 57-year-old Dempsey is a bona fide racing driver in real life.
He has his own racing team, called Dempsey-Proton, and he’s competed in a variety of racing events, including the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Talk about method acting.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
