Ferrari to celebrate 1,000th race with special Formula 1 livery

Ferrari will celebrate its 1,000th World Championship race at Mugella this weekend by racing in a one-off special livery with a retro feel.

THE Italian team has taken part in all 70 Formula 1 seasons since 1950 – the only team to have done so – having made its debut at the second race of the inaugural season at Monaco.

And to mark the milestone, Ferrari plans to race a retro livery on both Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc’s cars.

It hasn’t yet been revealed exactly what this entails, but it’s expected the SF1000 will be painted a darker shade of gloss red to match the Ferrari 125 which was entered 70 years ago, reports Motorsport.

CLASSIC: Ferrari 125. CREDIT: Wikimedia Commons/Herranderssvensson

The Formula 1 Pirelli Gran Premio Della Toscana Ferrari 1000 will take place at the Mugello track owned by Ferrari on September 13 – the ninth round of the 2020 F1 World Championship.

And for the first time in its history, the Mugello Circuit will play host to a race that counts towards the FIA Formula 1 World Championship.

CREDIT: Scuderia Ferrari

“As part of a season calendar that has been shaken up following the pandemic caused by the Covid-19 virus, an opportunity has arisen to bring motorsport’s leading competition to a circuit that leads the way in terms of standards for safety and sustainability. It is also a track that is as spectacular as it is demanding for drivers and cars,” said Ferrari in a statement.

Regrettably, the anniversary comes at a difficult time for the Suderia, on the back of an Italian Grand Prix that neither Vettel nor Leclerc finished.

“It’s a very hard season but it’s by facing up to difficulties like these that you get stronger,” team boss Mattia Binotto told the same publication.

“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 1,000th Formula 1 Grand Prix.”

The official name of the event pays homage to the region that will host the race and to the historic anniversary that will be celebrated.

Founded in 1974 as an evolution of the old ‘Circuito Stradale,’ the track was laid on the hills of the municipalities of Scarperia and San Piero a Sieve.

Long considered one of the circuits that is most appreciated both by drivers, riders and everyone involved in motorsport, the Mugello Circuit has been owned by Ferrari since 1988.

It is among the few tracks that the FIA (International Automobile Federation) has certified with the 3-Star Level qualification. In fact, the circuit has passed the environmental test set by the federation, thus winning recognition for the outstanding policies it has adopted for sustainability.

Now the ninth round of the season will take place at Mugello, Italy will return to hosting two Formula 1 Grands Prix for the first time since 2006.

That year the calendar featured both the traditional Italian Grand Prix at Monza and the last edition held to date of the San Marino Grand Prix, which took place at Imola’s Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.

Both these races were won by Michael Schumacher, in his final season as a Scuderia Ferrari driver.

Mattia Binotto, Team Principal and MD of Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow, added in a statement: “To be able to celebrate an extraordinary anniversary like the 1,000th grand prix for Scuderia Ferrari at our own home at Mugello is an incredible opportunity.

“Mugello is not just one of the most spectacular and challenging tracks for drivers and cars, it is also a structure that has made sustainability one of its priorities.

“This commitment has taken it to levels of excellence both for Italy and the world. There are lots of people to whom we send thanks for turning this opportunity into reality – above all Formula 1’s Chairman and CEO Chase Carey, who knows and appreciates the value that our team represents for this sport, to the extent that he was prepared to recognise this anniversary in the official name of the event.”

Binotto added: “Then there are two partners who have been fundamental to achieving this goal. First there is the region that will play host to us, Tuscany – one of the most beautiful in our country, rich with artistic treasures and breathtaking scenery. Then there is the city of Florence, a jewel that is unique in the world for its architectural beauty and for the masterpieces that can be enjoyed there.

“For me personally, Mugello is linked to the memories of so many days of testing that I have worked at along with the rest of the team in a bid to improve the car, sometimes dreaming of taking on our opponents there.

“To think that today we are about to have an event like a Grand Prix there – and the 1,000th in our Formula 1 history no less – is a wonderful feeling. I can’t wait for that dream to come true on September 13.”

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Written by

Tara Rippin

Tara Rippin is a reporter for Spain’s largest English-speaking newspaper, Euro Weekly News, and is responsible for the Costa Blanca region.
She has been in journalism for more than 20 years, having worked for local newspapers in the Midlands, UK, before relocating to Spain in 1990.
Since arriving, the mother-of-one has made her home on the Costa Blanca, while spending 18 months at the EWN head office in Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol.
She loves being part of a community that has a wonderful expat and Spanish mix, and strives to bring the latest and most relevant news to EWN’s loyal and valued readers.

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