In 1961, Bizzarrini was one of the "famous five" engineers who left Ferrari in the so-called "Ferrari night of the Long Knives", provoked by a reorganisation of the engineering staff. With other ex-Ferrari engineers (including Carlo Chiti) Bizzarrini founded the Automobili Turismo e Sport (ATS) company to build a Formula 1 single seater and a GT sports car, the ATS Serenissima.
