F1 news: Ferrari announce HUGE change to iconic red livery

Ferrari announce HUGE F1 change to iconic red livery

Fans are in for a surprise in Miami

Stuart Telford

Wednesday 24 April 2024 08:27

Roses are red, violets are blue, and now Ferrari is set to be BOTH in a controversial move ahead of the Miami Grand Prix.

"Ask a child to draw a car, and certainly he will draw it red."

So Enzo Ferrari, the founder of the great car company, is reputed to have said.

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Michael Schumacher won five of his joint-record seven Formula 1 world titles in a red Ferrari, and until the 1990s, 85 per cent of their commercial vehicles sold were red.

Ferrari are as red as Real Madrid are white, team and colour inextricably interwoven - or at least they have been until now.

The Italian manufacturer will enter red cars with blue added to the livery for May's Miami GP - a one-off decision for the race.

Sainz and Leclerc will have blue on their cars

Ferrari: 'fresh and unexpected'

"Ferrari will unveil fresh and unexpected colours to further amplify the excitement of the Miami events," reads Ferrari's official press release.

"Azzurro La Plata and Azzurro Dino - blues that reference Ferrari's rich heritage and remain cherished by fans - will reclaim their position in the Ferrari universe… celebrating tradition while reimagining it through a contemporary lens."

The change marks Ferrari's 70th anniversary in the American marketplace. In 1964 Ferrari sported a special US white and blue livery on the way to John Surtees winning the driver's championship with the Scuderia.

Azzurro La Plata is the national racing colour of Argentina and a similar shade to that worn by two-time champion Alberto Ascari.

The darker Azzurro Dino was worn by Clay Regazzoni in 1974, before the iconic red became the norm for race suits as well as vehicles.

Ferrari also used a special livery for last year's Italian GP, featuring yellow in a nod to their Le Mans 24 Hours-winning 499P. They also sported burgundy in their 1,000th race in 2020 in Tuscany.

Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Miami Grand Prix Michael Schumacher Enzo Ferrari