Ferrari compete in their home race today as the Italian Grand Prix takes centre stage at Monza.
Thousands of passionate red-clad tifosi will pack out the grandstands at the iconic ‘Temple of Speed’, which always makes for one of the most memorable sights of any Formula 1 season.
12 months ago those Ferrari fans had plenty to celebrate as Charles Leclerc beat McLaren duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris to produce an incredible win against the odds, repeating his achievement from 2019.
Before that, Fernando Alonso had been the last Ferrari driver to triumph at Monza in 2010, while it has been almost two full decades now since Kimi Raikkonen won their last drivers’ title in 2007. The Scuderia have not been constructors’ champions since 2008, meanwhile.
The Ferrari faithful may well have been fearing the worst for their latest home race after an unfortunate double retirement at the Dutch Grand Prix last weekend, with both Leclerc and team-mate Lewis Hamilton crashing out in Zandvoort.
It meant that they left the Netherlands pointless in the first race after the summer break, with Ferrari currently sitting second in the team standings behind runaway leaders McLaren, just 12 points ahead of Mercedes with nine races to go this season.
However, there was an encouraging start to practice on Friday as Hamilton and Leclerc - who are sixth and fifth respectively in the drivers’ title race - led a surprise early one-two, eventually qualifying fifth and fourth, though the Briton will start down in 10th on the grid in his first taste of Monza as a Ferrari driver after being handed a five-place penalty from Zandvoort for a yellow-flag infringement.
Max Verstappen is on pole for Red Bull after producing an astonishing fastest lap in F1 history, pipping Norris with Leclerc joined on the second row by championship leader Piastri.
Why are Ferrari using special livery at Italian Grand Prix?
Though they are unlikely to be celebrating a second successive home race victory, there is still plenty to celebrate for Ferrari at Monza.
The Scuderia are paying tribute to the late, great Niki Lauda, marking 50 years since he won his first F1 world title for the team in 1975.
The Ferrari drivers and team are all wearing special Puma kits this weekend adorned with the old Ferrari logo, with Leclerc and Hamilton also sporting specially-designed race suits, helmets and shoes.
Their SF-25 cars will also feature a special one-off livery that pays homage to the legendary 312 T driven by Lauda half-a-century ago, including a new shade of red, white longitudinal stripes and classic race numbers.
Other changes include the font for both drivers’ names, plus metallic silver rear wings, white engine covers and specially-designed wheel rims.
