Ferraris often competed in different colors, even in the world of Formula 1. In 1949, Juan Manuel Fangio raced with his Ferrari 166, owned by the Argentine government, which had a white and blue color scheme, in his home races of the Season. During the inaugural year of F1 in 1950, the Ferrari 125 rented by the factory of Raymond Sommer was painted blue. In 1952, the Frenchman Louis Rosier drove a blue Ferrari and in 1959, Phil Hill’s American Dino 246 was also blue for his home Grand Prix. Olivier Gendebien’s 156, representing the Belgian agent of Maranello for Ecurie Francorchamps, was yellow in Spa in 1961, while the other three 156 ran in the classic red.
Interestingly, red is Italy’s traditional racing color. This is peculiar considering that the country’s other national sports teams, such as the Azzurri football team and the Blu rugby team, as well as their athletes, wear blue. However, the history of blue Ferraris took shape relatively late in 1964. According to legend, Il Commendatore Enzo Ferrari removed the red paint from his cars as a protest against the failure of the Italian ACI to intervene in a dispute between Drake and the FIA regarding the 250 LM sports car.
According to history, there was a discussion between Enzo and the FIA about the previous 250 GTO sports cars being moved around Maranello during the car’s homologation count in 1962 at the factory. However, let’s not digress… In defiance of his governing body’s ignorance, Enzo decided not to race in Italy’s beloved red color (rosso corsa) again until the ACI took action against the FIA’s refusal to count the LM, so he could participate in the race.
Ferrari returned his racing license to ACI in a furious manner, accompanied by some not-so-polite Italian language. He also made a promise to never race in red again. The problem was that there were still two races left in the 1964 F1 season. The next one happened to be the United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen.
True to his word, Ferrari surprised the world when his two 158 V8s arrived in America painted in Yankee blue and white. They were also entered by the North American Racing Team (NART), and not by SEFAC Ferrari! With Ferrari’s US importer, Luigi Chinetti, who was also a skilled driver, in charge, John Surtees and Lorenzo Bandini raced with the American national colors in Glen, instead of the usual Italian red.
Surtees finished second in Glen, and with the dispute over the 250 LM still unresolved, the cars once again appeared in NART’s blue and white for the final race of the season in Mexico. This turned out to be a remarkable success. John Surtees finished second, securing the 1964 Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship. Surtees’ achievement was unique, as he added the F1 title to his motorcycle world championships.
Ashamed that Ferrari won the title in American colors, ACI eventually relented and approached the FIA to request homologation of the 250 LM. Naturally, the Ferraris returned to red at the beginning of the 1965 season. Enzo certainly had his own methods. Interestingly, in the two most recent occasions when Ferraris raced in colors other than red, Maranello won the championship…
The Ferrari announced that their cars will display shades of Azzurro Dino and Azzurro La Plata in their paintwork to celebrate 70 years in the United States at the upcoming Miami Grand Prix. The team and drivers will also incorporate some blue in their outfits in Miami. It is worth noting that the last Ferrari driver to not race in red overalls was Formula 1 world champion Jody Scheckter in 1979, when he wore white and blue overalls in Brooklyn. The team has been wearing red since the early 90s, when they switched from yellow overalls due to fireproof overalls becoming mandatory in the pitlane.
We will have to wait and see how much blue will be present in the Ferraris in Miami when the team arrives in Florida. Will the Scuderia be bold enough to go all the way? Well, Surtees’ F1 championship car was painted white and Azzurro Dino, with Azzurro La Plata wheels. Our illustration at the top shows how this could look on the SF-24.
What are your thoughts? Now we just need to wait and see what the team will reveal in Miami next week. Let the anticipation begin!
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Football star Lionel Messi signs contract with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) after leaving Barcelona. Messi’s transfer to PSG was announced on Tuesday, August 10. The Argentine player signed a two-year contract with the French club, with the option to extend for another year.
Messi, 34, spent his entire professional career at Barcelona, where he won numerous titles, including four UEFA Champions League titles. However, due to financial problems at the Spanish club, Messi could not renew his contract and decided to seek new opportunities at PSG.
The transfer of Messi to PSG is considered one of the biggest in the history of football. The Argentine player is widely recognized as one of the best players of all time and his arrival at the French club further strengthens the team.
With the signing of Messi, PSG becomes one of the favorites to win the UEFA Champions League next season. The club already boasts other great football names, such as Neymar and Kylian Mbappé, and the addition of Messi further strengthens the squad.
Furthermore, Messi’s transfer to PSG also has a significant impact off the field. The French club hopes to increase its fan base worldwide and boost its sponsorship revenue with the arrival of the Argentine player.
However, Messi’s transfer also comes with controversies. Some critics question PSG’s financial ability to sign high-level players, while others argue that Messi’s transfer is an example of the financial imbalance in modern football.
Despite the controversies, Messi’s arrival at PSG certainly brings excitement and anticipation for football fans worldwide. The fans of the French club are eager to see Messi in action and hope that he will help the team win important titles in the upcoming seasons.
