THE TRADITIONAL RED ON THE SF-23 CARS WILL ALSO FEATURE A HINT OF WHITE, AS WILL CHARLES LECLERC’S AND CARLOS SAINZ’ RACE SUITS AND HELMETS TO CELEBRATE FERRARI’S LOOK FROM THE SEVENTIES, REGARDED AS SOMETHING OF A GOLDEN AGE FOR FORMULA 1 IN AMERICA.
Scuderia Ferrari and its drivers are all set to sport special colours for Formula 1’s long awaited return to Las Vegas in the United States. It’s been 41 years since the last time the largest city in the state of Nevada hosted a Grand Prix, held on a track in the car park of the famous Caesars Palace. Back in 1982, the Formula 1 calendar already featured three rounds in the United States, as is the case this year, confirming the recent surge in popularity for the sport, the boom down to the work of Liberty Media, the championship’s commercial rights holder and the hugely successful Netflix series, Drive to Survive. The result is a second golden age in the United States which, along with the well established race in Austin, saw Miami added to the calendar in 2022 and this year, Las Vegas will stage the very first night race in the United States, starting on Saturday 18 November at 22 local (7 CET).
The first “golden age”. Scuderia Ferrari has participated in every year of the Formula 1 world championship and therefore experienced that first golden age for the category in America. In 1971, at the wheel of the remarkable Ferrari 312 B, the American driver, Mario Andretti, won the South African Grand Prix, sparking interest in the sport at home. Following in the Italian-American’s footsteps came other racers, the New Yorker, Peter Revson and Mark Donohue who raced in the predominantly European series with the great Roger Penske, who became a Formula 1 constructor to add to his successes in IndyCar. Other great drivers were also racing back then: Jackie Stewart, Emerson Fittipaldi, Niki Lauda, Jody Scheckter, Clay Regazzoni, James Hunt and Gilles Villeneuve, all true stars who boosted the popularity of the sport, bringing in plenty of sponsors. In the nine years from 1976 to 1984, 19 World Championship races were run in the USA, along with nine Canadian events, which brought the total number of North American Grands Prix to 28.
The colours. During America’s first golden age of Formula 1, Scuderia Ferrari enjoyed some of the most memorable moments of its history, with Niki Lauda winning two world titles, in 1975 and 1977, with a victory at Watkins Glen in 1975. Clay Regazzoni added to the tally, winning at Long Beach in 1976 while Carlos Reutemann triumphed at Watkins Glen in 1978. In 1979, Gilles Villeneuve scored an American double with wins in Long Beach and Watkins Glen in the now legendary 312 T4. In those days, there was a lot of white alongside the red in the Ferrari livery and this year, for the return to Las Vegas, the Scuderia decided to reprise it, producing an entirely red and white-only livery for the SF-23. Key to the success of this special design was the cooperation between the Scuderia’s partners who approved changes to their own colours, especially Puma who produced completely new team kit specifically for this race. Charles and Carlos are also happy to support the initiative and so, for this event, their helmets follow the theme with predominantly red and white colours, which is also the case with the special race suits.
Back to Vegas Collection. Ferrari will also celebrate Formula 1’s return to Las Vegas with a series of special off-track initiatives. Fans and enthusiasts will be able to get their hands on limited edition caps and accessories, all featuring the white and red colours. Puma and Scuderia Ferrari are launching two collections designed in partnership with Californian artist Joshua Vides, famous for his creative flair and wonderful sketches. The capsule Back to Vegas Collection highlights Vides’ stylistic signature, reinterpreting motorsport through a series of items ranging from apparel to accessories, all paying homage to the golden age of Formula 1 in America. To be worn at the race track or as everyday wear, the iconic Ferrari red combines with white, as it did on the cars’ bodywork back in the Seventies and on the SF-23 livery in Las Vegas. Also available is the limited edition Replica collection, inspired by the Scuderia team kit: this capsule features a selection of polo shirts, sweatshirts and caps and is aimed particularly at those fans attending the Las Vegas GP wanting to show their support for the team.
Ray Ban and Ferrari pop-up boutique. Long-time Ferrari Team Partner, Ray Ban is also celebrating the sport’s return to Las Vegas with a special launch of its iconic Aviator glasses, with a version specifically designed for this memorable event: the Las Vegas model features a metal frame, carbon fibre temples and a special version of the famous Ferrari emblem, in line with the design the Scuderia has chosen for its return to the legendary city in the state of Nevada. Finally, worth noting that, from 13 to 20 November, Ferrari will have a pop-up boutique at the Bellagio Hotel, selling fashion collections designed by its Creative Director, Rocco Iannone.