Legend has it that Enzo Ferrari, in a fit of anger, ditched Ferrari’s iconic red color in 1964, vowing never to race in Italy’s national colors again. While short-lived, it set the stage for a significant chapter in F1 history. Now, 60 years later, the Scuderia will ditch the scarlet red once again and relive history at the Miami GP.
In the early days of Grand Prix racing, teams painted their cars in their nation’s colors. Ferrari, synonymous with Italy, sported their trademark “Rosso carra,” or racing red. However, in the early 1960s, Ferrari’s racing ventures expanded, with the success of the 1962 250 GTO.
Yet, this success was not without controversy. As the story goes, Ferrari’s compliance with racing regulations involved some creative maneuvering during an inspection by the FIA. Despite this, rival teams were discontent.
By 1964, Ferrari faced another setback when the FIA refused to approve their new car, the 250LM. Enzo Ferrari was furious, particularly when the Italian motorsport governing body failed to support his team. In a bold move, he gave up his competitor’s license and swore off racing in red.
The oath was tested with just two races left in the 1964 F1 season. The team competed under the banner of the North American Racing Team, or NART, at Watkins Glen in North America. The following race in Mexico saw Ferrari racing as NART again, with John Surtees securing a historic second-place finish, clinching the 1964 championship. But one thing stood out…
Surtees’ victory was remarkable on multiple fronts. Not only did he become the first and only champion on both two and four wheels, but he also secured Ferrari’s first F1 title dressed in blue.
Ferrari ditched red on multiple occasions
Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz join a long list of race car drivers who’ve had the honor of donning the rare Azure. Raymond Sommer made history in 1950 by racing a blue Ferrari 125 at the Monaco GP, becoming the first driver to do so in F1. The car, officially entered by Scuderia Ferrari, was loaned to Sommer, who painted it in his native French racing colors.
Even before Sommer’s milestone, Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio had driven a blue Ferrari 166 in winter races in Argentina. Originally red, the car was repainted blue with yellow accents after being bought with support from the Argentine government. It now resides in the Argentine Motor Museum.
In F1, French driver Louis Rosier raced Ferraris painted in light blue, representing his national colors under his team, Ecurie Rosier.
In 1959, at the United States GP in Sebring, Phil Hill driver a blue Ferrari Dino 246, representing his American racing colors.
The reintroduction of blue tones in Ferrari’s racing colors at Miami brings a nostalgic touch, with visuals and narratives tailored for the next generation of Ferrari enthusiasts; the Prancing Horses decked in blue, evoking memories of the past.
