What types of blue has Ferrari chosen and why?

Every year seems to see Formula 1 roaring more and more to the forefront of motor racing in the United States. In a country traditionally associated with NASCAR and Indycar races – the cars all have their positives – affection for F1 is growing and celebrity appearances add to its spectacle. Then there’s the Netflix series, ‘Drive To Survive’, which has driven more interest into the competition and with three Grand Prix races in the annual calendar, grandstands are full for each one. Then there is Ferrari, the iconic car brand that this year will be even more special.

Miami sees Ferrari dress in blue

The ‘Scuderia’ will take to Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix to celebrate its 70th anniversary in the U.S. market and will do so by ditching its famous red colour for blue. This is less of a shock move for those who know the history of the Italian racing team, but for those less familiar, here’s why is makes sense.

Azzurro La Plata

Ferrari is recoloring its SF-24s in two shades of blue and each has a special history for Ferrari. The first of them, Azzurro La Plata, happens to be Argentina’s national racing color.

During his prime years in racing, Alberto Ascari, a renowned Italian Formula One driver and an early standout for Ferrari, donned a distinctive light blue hue on both his racing suit and helmet. This color choice, considered a talisman by the two-time world champion (1952 and 1953), marked his most successful period in competition.

In the 1960s, drivers such as John Surtees, Chris Amon, and Niki Lauda also adopted this color for their suits during their debut season with the Scuderia. Similarly, the uniforms of Maranello’s staff bore the same shade of blue during that era.

Azzurro Dino

Azzuro Dino, another shade of blue, appears darker compared to its predecessor. The color was last seen in 1974 when Clay Regazzoni sported it on his racing suit. Soon after, the Scuderia’s attire shifted to red, a hue that has remained dominant until the present day.

When was the last time Ferrari raced a GP in blue and where?

The last time the tifosi sported the blue color on their car was in 1964, with a special livery that also featured white, used for the last two races of that season, in the United States and Mexico. The latter was the season finale and was a race that would go down in history. The aforementioned Surtees came through to finish second and in doing so he clinched the 1964 championship crown.

Note that this blue design will be unique for the Miami GP and in Imola, and subsequent races this season, red will once again be donned.

What else does Ferrari have for the Miami GP?

Aside from featuring a distinctive car design blending red and two shades of blue, Ferrari has been gradually revealing additional details throughout the week, which will be prominent throughout the entire Grand Prix event.

For instance, both drivers’ racing suits will be entirely colored in blue, extending from their corporate caps down to their shoes. Their casual attire for the weekend will also follow suit. Just a few days ago, they unveiled a collection of jackets and shirts with a vintage flair, paying tribute to the attire worn by mechanics in the past.

Furthermore, Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc have surprises in store for Miami as well: they will showcase special helmet designs, prominently featuring the color blue.