Ferrari revives the azure blue at the Miami Grand Prix

(Motorsport-Total.com) – Now the team will bring back the color when it returns to the United States with a capsule collection from PUMA that will be worn by star drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, as well as other team members, during the race weekend.

To mark the occasion, we took a look at Ferrari’s history in Blue – and here’s what we found…

Summer is a star in Monaco

In 1950, Raymond Sommer became the first driver to compete in Formula 1 in a blue Ferrari when he competed in a Ferrari 125 at the Monaco Grand Prix. Officially used by Scuderia Ferrari itself, the car was on loan to the Frenchman, who painted light blue in his national racing colors and finished fourth in his only F1 race.

In the same year, the Argentinian Juan Manuel Fangio had already driven a blue Ferrari – although not in Formula 1, but in winter races in his country. The Ferrari 166, chassis 011F, was originally painted red for its first victory at the 1949 Monza Grand Prix, but was bought with help from the Argentine government, and repainted in the country’s racing colors – blue with a hood yellow engine – and used in South America until 1952. Today it is in the Argentine Automobile Museum: www.aca.org.ar/promociones/museo/catalogo/34.html

© Ferrari

The new collection is meant to evoke old memories

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Meanwhile, in Formula 1 in 1952, French driver Louis Rosier drove a Ferrari painted in national blue and competed with his own team, the Ecurie Rosier team. He initially drove the Type 500 F2 and later the 500/625 and took part in 17 F1 races until the 1954 season, finishing seventh in the Netherlands in 1953.

Blue for America

In 1959, four Ferraris took part in the American Grand Prix at Sebring, one of which was painted blue. For the English drivers Tony Brooks and Cliff Allison and the German Wolfgang von Trips, the team presented cars in the traditional Italian red color, but the Dino 246 of the American Phil Hill wore its national racing colors – blue and white nose. Unfortunately, he did not make it to the finish line as labor problems forced Hill out of the race on lap eight.

That was not the end of the American blue and white, however, as two years later came the most famous blue Ferrari of all time. It was the end of the 1964 season, and after a dispute with the motor sports authorities over the rules, Enzo Ferrari withdrew his team from the last two races of the year and vowed not to compete again in the national colors of Italy.

However, it was a political move, and although the official Ferrari team was not present in the United States and at the season finale in Mexico, instead it was represented by the “North American Racing Team” – and the drivers of the team raced in Ferrari cars. in an attractive half white and half blue livery.

John Surtees drove a blue Ferrari to second place in the American race at Watkins Glen, and at the end of the season he raced in the same colors, finishing second again and claiming the world title.

In a suit and tie

Although rarely seen on cars, blue was ubiquitous in the Ferrari garage in the 1950s and 1960s – as the team’s drivers and mechanics wore blue overalls at the time. This reflected the traditional colors of the Italian city of Modena, but perhaps it also had something to do with the fact that there were no red racing suits at the time!

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The PUMA capsule collection will be worn by Charles Leclerc and other team members during the race weekend

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Little is known about the blue team uniform of this era. But it is believed that the last F1 driver to wear the blue Ferrari suit – and please correct us if we have not revealed any secrets in our research – was Niki Lauda in 1973. Because from 1974 onwards the traditional blue suit was worn. replaced by red.

Bring history back to life

Inspired by this rare but rich legacy of Ferrari’s blue livery, PUMA and Ferrari will design a limited edition collection similar to Azzurro’s light blue overalls for the Miami Grand Prix.

The return of classic blue tones promises to recapture the spirit of history, with statement pieces such as the varsity jacket, team shirt and Speedcat Pro racing shoe, as well as exclusive accessories. The collection is designed for the next generation of Ferrari fans to evoke memories of the past.

Racing drivers Leclerc and Sainz, along with the entire team, will wear this collection’s statement this weekend in Miami, continuing the Azzurro’s history – and you can too, because the PUMA x Scuderia Ferrari Miami Limited Edition Collection is now available locally. select locations Available at PUMA Stores, Scuderia Ferrari Stores and also on puma.com and ferrari.com.