The 2024 Formula 1 season heads to the United States for the first time this year in early May for the Miami Grand Prix.
Last year’s race in Miami Gardens, Florida was won by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, and the reigning world champion will be the favourite for the chequered flag once more this week after winning four of the first five races this season.
Carlos Sainz is the only other race winner of 2024 and will be hoping to bring further success to Ferrari during a notable weekend for the Tifosi.
Fans expecting to see the famous all-red colours of both car and drivers may be surprised to notice a change to the livery: not only will Sainz, Charles Leclerc and the pit crew be adorned in blue, but the vehicles themselves will sport tints of Azzurro more commonly associated with the Italian national soccer team than the country’s most famous motorsport franchise.
So why, exactly, is there blue on the Ferraris in Miami? The Sporting News explains.
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Ferrari will be sporting what the team described as “fresh and exciting colours” for the 2024 Miami Grand Prix.
The one-off design will see blue sections on the traditionally all-red car, while drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc will be wearing light-blue suits in the cockpit. The shades of colour are officially called Azzurro La Plata and Azzurro Dino.
It’s all to mark the 70th anniversary of Ferrari’s presence in North America.
During the 1964 season, the iconic red cars — synonymous with the colour since the 1920s — were changed to blue and white for the final two races, reflecting the colours of the United States flag.
The lighter ‘Azzurro La Plata’ shade is to honour former driver Alberto Ascari, who won the driver’s championship in 1952 and 1953, becoming the first Ferrari driver to win the title. The Italian wore a blue jersey and helmet for good luck.
Fellow former drivers including Niki Lauda and Lorenzo Bandini also wore this particular blue while competing for Ferrari, while Clay Regazzoni wore the darker shade in 1974 before the team’s drivers switched to red.
Members of the Ferrari pit crew will also wear special colours this weekend as part of Ferrari’s one-off tribute act, details of which were announced here.
“Ferrari is looking forward to a memorable weekend in Miami, hosting several activities linked to the marque’s tradition and passion for innovation in this its seventieth year on the North American market,” the team said in a statement on May 1.
“The Scuderia will be one of the stars of the show over the Floridian weekend and the cars will sport a special livery celebrating two colours from its past, Azzurro La Plata and Azzurro Dino. These shades of blue were part of daily life in Maranello for many years and are now coming back into play after an absence of around fifty years. The Miami weekend will also provide an amazing backdrop for HP’s debut as the team’s new title partner.”
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Here’s how to watch the race across selected areas of the world’s major regions:
