A Tribute to a Legend

Ferrari will celebrate Michael Schumacher's legacy with a special livery at this weekend's Italian Grand Prix in Monza, marking 30 years since the seven-time world champion joined the team from Benetton. The tribute, dubbed 'Sunday Rituals,' commemorates Schumacher's first Italian Grand Prix win with Ferrari and his decade at Maranello from 1996 to 2006, as reported by multiple outlets.

Schumacher, who joined Ferrari in 1996 as a two-time champion, transformed the team and led it to a golden period, winning five consecutive drivers' championships from 2000 to 2004 and six successive constructors' titles from 1999 to 2004. His first win in the famous red came in 1996 in Spain, followed by victories in Belgium and Monza, where he handed the Scuderia its first home victory since 1988.

The 57-year-old has not been seen in public since suffering a serious brain injury in a skiing accident in the French Alps in December 2013.

The SF-26 cars of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, who is also a seven-time champion, will feature a livery inspired by Schumacher's first Ferrari, the F310. The design is predominantly red with white on the wings and black, incorporating seven stars on the nose representing Schumacher's world titles and his personal logo, which uses the letters M and S to form the silhouette of a single-seater cockpit. The wheels, from BBS, have a hint of gold, recalling the original magnesium rims used in 1996.

Leclerc and Hamilton will also wear special racewear, including shoes, overalls, gloves, and helmets designed for the occasion, creating a visual link between the 1996 Ferrari and today's Scuderia. The drivers will be in Milan on Wednesday, September 2, for activities with Ferrari and its partners, including an event at the Flagship Store on Via Giovanni Berchet. A Schumacher capsule collection will also be available.

Historic Cars and Demonstrations

Three cars from Schumacher's Ferrari career will be on display at Monza: the F310, the 248 from 2006, and the F2002, from one of the most dominant seasons in Formula One history. In 2002, Schumacher clinched the title in France in July with six races to spare, while Ferrari secured the constructors' championship in Hungary with 15 wins from 17 races.

Rubens Barrichello, Schumacher's teammate during the five consecutive championship-winning seasons from 2000 to 2004, will drive the F2002 on Saturday. Barrichello has a special connection to both the car and Monza, having won the 2002 Italian Grand Prix in it. On Sunday, four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel will take to the track in the same car for a celebratory lap honoring Schumacher's legacy.

The Ferrari Museum in Maranello will also pay tribute, displaying the five cars from the 2000 to 2004 seasons in the Sala delle Vittorie from September 4 to 30, accompanied by trophies and a display dedicated to Schumacher's victories. During the Grand Prix weekend, the museum will show qualifying and the race live, and visitors will receive a special cover art commemorating the Monza celebrations.

Monza Prospects and Grid Penalty

Schumacher's 1996 win at Monza was Ferrari's first at home since 1988, and the team returns this weekend with a strong chance of another victory. Leclerc and Hamilton have each won once this season, and the team sits second in the standings. Ferrari last won at Monza in 2024 with Leclerc, who also triumphed in 2019. Hamilton, who joined Ferrari last year, is a five-time winner at Monza with McLaren and Mercedes.

Meanwhile, Italian Kimi Antonelli, the Formula One drivers' championship leader for Mercedes, will start the Italian Grand Prix from the back of the grid due to an engine penalty. Mercedes announced the penalty during the previous race weekend in the Netherlands, with team principal Toto Wolff saying the timing was right for the championship. "Our calculations say that that's the best track to take it," Wolff commented. Monza is expected to be a strong track for Mercedes, with long straights offering overtaking opportunities. Antonelli holds a 59-point advantage over his two nearest rivals in the standings, despite failures to finish in Barcelona and teammate George Russell's issues in Canada and elsewhere. The penalty decision follows precedents such as Max Verstappen's win in 2022 after a five-place grid penalty and Isack Hadjar's points finish from the pit lane last year.