(Motorsport-Total.com) – It has almost become a tradition for Ferrari to start their home race in Monza with a special design: last year, the cars of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc shone in the retro look of Niki Lauda’s 312T from the 1975 Formula 1 season. In the 2026 season, it is now Michael Schumacher’s turn.
Read more Why BMW currently has no interest in the premier class despite the Formula 1 boom
For the 97th edition of the Italian Grand Prix, the Scuderia has a surprise in store for the Tifosi: the two Ferrari SF-26 cars of Hamilton and Leclerc will race with a special design in honor of the seven-time world champion. The exact design is not yet known and will only be revealed in the coming days.
According to initial information, the design is supposed to be based on the Ferrari F310 from the 1996 season. Fans can therefore look forward to a striking red-black paint scheme, complemented by golden rims. The timing for the tribute is deliberately chosen, exactly 30 years after the German’s debut victory for Ferrari.
In 1996, Schumacher won a Formula 1 race for Ferrari for the first time. Ten years later, in the 2006 season, the German celebrated his last victory. In between lie ten years that belong to the most successful chapters in the history of the Scuderia.
During this time, Schumacher won five of his total seven world championships with Ferrari and won 72 races for the team. Together with Ferrari, he shaped an era that is still considered the most successful period in the history of the Cavallino Rampante.
Monza as the stage for the Schumacher tribute
Therefore, the two Ferraris of Hamilton and Leclerc are to carry a special Schumacher livery at the Italian home race. The Scuderia wants to remember the champion, who still holds an extraordinary status among Ferrari fans today.
Monza is the appropriate stage for this. The Italian Grand Prix takes place in the “Temple of Speed” and traditionally belongs to the most important races on the Ferrari calendar. The connection between Schumacher, Ferrari, and the Italian fans developed into a very special relationship during his active career.
The planned actions are intended not only to honor Schumacher’s sporting achievements but also to show that Ferrari and the Tifosi have not forgotten the German. The team from Maranello wants to give him back the status he has earned through his extraordinary achievements.
Read more Will you miss Zandvoort in Formula 1, Marc Surer?
Since his serious skiing accident in Méribel, France, on December 29, 2013, Schumacher has withdrawn from the public eye. The former world champion is cared for by his wife Corinna and family members. Very little is known about his current health condition.
Formula 1 Quiz
How many races did Michael Schumacher compete in for the Mercedes team?
Test yourself now in the Formula 1 quiz and compare yourself with other users
All the more emotional the Schumacher tribute in Monza is likely to be for many Ferrari and Formula 1 fans. Under the motto “Keep Fighting Michael,” the Italian race weekend is to become a special memory of the Ferrari champion.
Ferrari simultaneously awaits an important engine step
Sportingly, even more is at stake for Ferrari in Monza. The Scuderia places great hopes in the next upgrade of the revised power unit. The new engine is supposed to significantly reduce the performance deficit compared to Mercedes’ six-cylinder.
Ferrari hopes to be able to intervene more strongly in the fight for the world championship again. In the drivers’ championship, Lewis Hamilton is currently tied on points with Mercedes driver George Russell, but already 59 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli.
The race in Monza could thus become an important date for Ferrari for several reasons: The Scuderia wants to get technically closer to Mercedes with the ADUO2, at the same time the team is fighting for its championship chances – and remembers one of the greatest drivers in their history with a special design.
For Ferrari fans, the home race is likely to be a very special weekend. Besides the fight for points and victories, one person is especially in the spotlight, whose name is inseparably linked with Ferrari: Michael Schumacher.
Read more The last race: When traditional circuits were dropped from the F1 calendar