Ferrari unveils 1,000th Grand Prix classic livery

©Ferrari

Ferrari has revealed the special livery that will commemorate the Scuderia's 1,000th world championship race this week at Mugello.

The Italian outfit has gone back to its roots for the landmark event that takes place at Mugello, a track owned by Ferrari, dressing its SF1000 contender in the same shade of burgundy red in which its cars raced at the 1950 Monaco Grand Prix, the Scuderia's first world championship race.

"Scuderia Ferrari’s 1000th Grand Prix is a very important milestone, therefore it had to be marked in a special way," said Ferrari Vive Chairman, Pero Ferrari.

"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.

"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," added Ferrari.

"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 thousandth 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 seventy-one-year history."

Ferrari's milestone event comes amid a difficult time for the Scuderia, whose downbeat performance this year has left Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel engulfed in F1's midfield.

But both drivers are determined to give it their all to honour the House of Maranello on its special anniversary.

"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," said Vettel.

"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," commented Leclerc.

"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."

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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.