Ferrari has revealed the special livery it will run on both cars to celebrate their 1000th Formula 1 race at Mugello this weekend.
The Italian marque is the only team to have competed in every world championship since 1950, and will pay tribute to that history by running the same burgundy shade of red as used on their first F1 car, the 125, 70 years ago.
Also as part of the celebrations, Ferrari Academy member Mick Schumacher will drive his father Michael’s championship-winning F2004 around Mugello on Sunday, before the race itself.
“Scuderia Ferrari’s 1000th Grand Prix is a very important milestone, therefore it had to be marked in a special way, that’s why we decided to run a unique livery on the cars for this event, with the SF1000s taking to the track at the Mugello Circuit in the Burgundy colour first seen on the 125 S, the first racing car to carry the Ferrari name,” vice-chairman Piero Ferrari commented.
“Even the look of the race numbers on Charles’ and Sebastian’s cars will reflect the tradition of the past, giving the impression of being hand-painted onto the bodywork, while the drivers’ race suits will also match the car colour.
“It’s a tribute to our origins: to our starting point for the amazing Ferrari story, characterised by an endless desire to compete, alongside the will to build road cars that are exceptional in terms of technology and design.
“Ferrari is unique in the world because the company has the soul of a car manufacturer and of a racing team, an inseparable link that is never questioned.
“Only a few months ago, no one could have imagined that our 1000th race could take place at our own Mugello circuit. I am pleased that in the Grand Prix official name, Formula 1 chose to pay tribute to Ferrari, the only team that has always been present in the sport’s 70-year history.”
Indeed the race is being run under the banner of the Tuscan Grand Prix Ferrari 1000 and is the first of five new races to have joined the calendar this year following the Covid-19 pandemic, with Mugello hosting an F1 race for the first time.
“It’s a great honour to be driving a Ferrari in what is the 1000th Grand Prix for this, the longest-serving of all Formula 1 teams,” Sebastian Vettel commented.
“It will be even more of a pleasure to celebrate this anniversary at the Mugello Circuit and also because, for the first time this season, a few spectators will be allowed into the grandstands.
It is a very nice and super technical track with changes of gradient and very demanding corners. The track should better suit our car, so let’s hope we can deliver something to please the Tifosi, both at home and at the circuit.”
Charles Leclerc added: “I can’t wait to be on track at Mugello with Ferrari.
“The circuit is really beautiful and on top of that, we are celebrating our team’s 1000th GP in Formula 1 and I’m also pleased to learn there will be a few thousand fans in the grandstands.
“The track has a very long straight, but it’s not super fast like the past two we raced on and so it should be a bit better suited to our car.
“It will be important to make the most of the track time available, as we have no data from which to start. We hope to put on a show for the people at home and those in the stands and also get back to picking up some good championship points.”
As both drivers alluded to, expectations are a little higher for the Tuscan GP, this after failing to score points at the past two races at Spa and Monza.
But given the problems Ferrari currently face, it’s certainly going to need a repeat of the drama from last Sunday for the Scuderia to be celebrating their milestone on the podium.