Ferrari will run a unique livery inspired by Michael Schumacher’s first Scuderia F1 car at the Italian Grand Prix this weekend – three decades since the Formula 1 legend joined the team.
Joining the team 30 years ago, Schumacher won five of his seven world championships at Ferrari and the prancing horse outfit will pay homage to one of their greatest-ever drivers at their home race in Monza.
The cars of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will sport a livery inspired by the 1996 Ferrari F310, which the German drove in his debut year, and will feature hints of gold on the wheels similar to the ’96 model.
The car will also feature Schumacher’s logo and the seven stars that used to adorn his helmet, signifying his seven titles – a feat matched only by Hamilton.
Ferrari also announced that their former driver Sebastian Vettel, who has four world titles to his name, will drive Schumacher’s championship-winning 2002 car for a “celebratory lap” before Sunday’s grand prix.
Schumacher’s former teammate, Brazilian driver Rubens Barrichello, will also drive the car around the circuit on Saturday.
Hamilton and Leclerc, as is now customary at Monza, will also wear special race suits. Ferrari will be chasing their third victory of the season after Hamilton’s triumph in Barcelona and Leclerc’s win at Silverstone.
Hamilton is championship leader Kimi Antonelli’s joint-closest challenger, with the Briton and George Russell trailing the Italian by 59 points heading into round 13.
However, Antonelli is widely expected to take a grid penalty this weekend as he exceeds his allocation of power units for the season, opening the door for his rivals to make up some ground on the leaderboard.
