Maria Teresa de Filippis was from a wealthy family in Naples, Italy. Ironically her brothers gave impetus to her racing career. They had a bet among themselves as to how fast their sister could drive. In the late 1940s Maria entered endurance races of increasing difficulty. She won her first motorsports event in a Fiat 500B. She competed in such noteworthy events as the Targa Florio and the Mille Miglia. Soon de Filippis purchased a Maserati 250F like the one Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio drove to the 1957 World Championship of Formula 1 racing.