Ferrari to race with 1950 retro livery at Mugello

Ferrari's SF1000 will be dressed up in a special anniversary livery at this week's Tuscan Grand Prix, the Scuderia's milestone 1,000th F1 world championship race.

According to a report from Motorsport Italy, the Italian outfit's cars will roll out at Mugello painted in a darker shade of red, the color used by the Scuderia's cars at its first race, the 1950 Monaco Grand Prix.

Ferrari entered three machines - Ferrari 125s - in the Principality that year, with Alberto Ascari finishing runner up to Alfa Romeo's Juan Manuel Fangio, while Raymond Sommer finished fourth, three laps behind and Luigi Villoresi retired with transmission problems.

Ferrari's special livery at Mugello - a track owned by Ferrari - will be one component of the House of Maranello's celebrations this week in which will also take part members of the Scuderia Ferrari Club, with 2,880 people invited to sit in the grandstands.

Unfortunately, the landmark anniversary comes at a time of massive struggles for the Scuderia and follows an Italian Grand Prix that neither Sebastian Vettel nor Charles Leclerc finished.

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"It’s a very hard season but it’s by facing up to difficulties like these that you get stronger," said team boss Mattia Binotto.

"We must look ahead and there are useful lessons for all of us to take away from this to build for the future.

"Having said that, we must absolutely not give up and we will be giving our all next weekend at Mugello which is a special event for us, being our one thousandth Formula 1 Grand Prix."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.