31 incredible photos that show why Ferrari is F1's most special team
From the pioneering days of grand prix racing through to the modern era, no team can match Ferrari for history.
Few would dispute that Ferrari stand above all other Formula 1 teams when it comes to heritage and prestige.
The Scuderia have been part of the world championship since its inaugural season, accumulating more titles and wins than any other outfit. Their iconic red cars have become instantly recognisable symbols of the sport that every young driver dreams of getting behind the wheel of. And they receive a rapturous reception from fans at every grand prix, be it their spiritual home of Monza or new events across Asia and the Middle East
The Ferrari cars of Clay Regazzoni and Jacky Ickx await their drivers at Monza. Regazzoni would go on to win the race. | © Peter Darley
What makes Ferrari so special? It is the incredible sense of history that the team can lay claim to, from grand prix racing's early years to the brutal seventies, from Villeneuve's mesmerising skills to Schumacher's unstoppable brilliance.
Here, we chronicle the Scuderia's development with 31 incredible images that span their time in F1.
ENZO FERRARI – "IL COMMENDATORE"
From humble beginnings in the northern Italian town of Modena, Enzo Ferrari went on to create the most iconic racing team in the history of the sport.
An intense and uncompromising boss, Enzo sought unparalleled excellence from his drivers, but also demanded that they acknowledge the superiority of the cars they were privileged enough to race.
Enzo with Phil Hill, who won Ferrari's fourth drivers' world championship in 1961 | © Peter Darley
Some of the most famous names in the sport passed through the team during his stewardship – Fangio, Lauda, Andretti, Villeneuve – though Enzo preferred to remain aloof from his drivers after losing several in fatal accidents early on.
Enzo at Monza, a circuit that would become synonymous with his beloved red cars | © Peter Darley
Ferrari’s power over his team seemed supernatural. Just a few weeks after his death in August 1988, the Italian Grand Prix was staged for the first time without Enzo watching. In a year completely dominated by McLaren-Honda, Ferrari secured an incredible one-two finish in front of their adoring fans, the Tifosi.
Berger and Alboreto celebrate their emotional one-two at the 1988 Italian Grand Prix | Sutton Images
THE DRIVERS
No team possesses the same allure as Ferrari. Every driver dreams of one day racing for the Scuderia, with even the most illustrious career considered incomplete without a spell in the red overalls.
Eugenio Castellotti (car #22) was a rising star for the Scuderia, but died testing at the age of 26 | © The Cahier Archive 2017
Alberto Ascari was their first star, winning back-to-back world titles in 1952 and 1953. The great Juan Manuel Fangio secured their third in 1956, his only year at the team, while Mike Hawthorn (1958), Phil Hill (1961) and John Surtees (1964) ensured that Ferrari were the most successful team of F1’s first two decades.
The combination of Ferrari and Fangio brought two bona fide legends of the sport together | Getty Images
It was a further 11 years before Niki Lauda – a brash Austrian who did not seem especially suited to Ferrari – put the Scuderia back on top. He was world champion in 1975, would comfortably have defended his crown the following year were it not for a near-fatal crash, and regained the title in 1977.
Lauda leads Ferrari teammate Carlos Reutemann during the 1977 Italian Grand Prix. A few weeks later he claimed his second world title for the Scuderia | © The Cahier Archive 2017
After Jody Scheckter won the 1979 championship for Ferrari the team endured a painful 21-year wait to recapture the drivers’ title.
But while the ultimate prize eluded them, plenty of stars passed through Maranello during this period. No one stands out more than Gilles Villeneuve, who became a legend of the sport for his brave and sometimes terrifying displays aboard the red cars.
Villeneuve's duel with Rene Arnoux during the closing laps of the 1979 French Grand Prix is remembered as one of the greatest battles in F1 history | Sutton Images
There is also tremendous respect for Gerhard Berger, who led the team’s emotional one-two at Monza shortly after Enzo’s death, while Nigel Mansell was dubbed "El Lione" for his ferocious performances and became a legend among the Tifosi.
Mansell at the wheel of his Ferrari. The dour Englishman was a surprise hit with the emotional Tifosi | Sutton Images
Alain Prost was within touching distance of the 1990 world title, only for Ayrton Senna to run him off the road at Suzuka and end the Scuderia's hopes. And there was a special affection for Jean Alesi, whose only F1 win came at the wheel of a Ferrari in 1995 after plenty of near misses.
Prost had every right to feel aggrieved at missing out on the 1990 title to Senna | © The Cahier Archive 2017
In 1996 Michael Schumacher joined the team. With two world titles to his name already the German was looking to secure his status as a grand prix legend. 10 years and five world titles later, that mission had been very much accomplished.
Schumacher's win at Imola in 2000 was one of 11 he took in Ferrari colours on Italian soil | © The Cahier Archive 2017
Arguably Schumacher’s greatest drive for Ferrari came in just his seventh outing for the team. In appalling conditions at the Spanish Grand Prix, the German won by 45 seconds and lapped everyone up to third.
Schumacher's drive in Spain ranks among the finest in F1 history and began to write his Ferrari legend | Sutton Images
Schumacher went on to take five successive titles for the team, making him the most successful driver in Ferrari colours and the sport as a whole.
Schumacher was unbeaten between 2000 and 2004 | Sutton Images
Kimi Raikkonen replaced Schumacher in 2007 and won the title in his first year with Ferrari – a feat only matched by Fangio. It seemed like another era of dominance had begun.
Kimi became world champion in a dramatic season finale at Interlagos | Sutton Images
But 10 years later they are still waiting for the next triumph. Felipe Massa was a few hundred metres from taking the 2008 crown, while Fernando Alonso was agonisingly close in 2010 and 2012. Many felt that the Spaniard was at his very best with the Scuderia, but ultimately he departed the team empty handed.
Alonso lost the 2010 title after a disastrous final race in Abu Dhabi | Sutton Images
THE TEAM
Ferrari have attracted some of the best and brightest in F1 history down the years. From designers to mechanics to flamboyant team managers, wearing the prancing horse – be it on overalls or an expensive blazer – seems to make people walk a little taller.
Drivers Lauda and Regazzoni in discussion with young team boss Luca di Montezemolo | Sutton Images
Luca di Montezemolo became the Scuderia's team manager at the age of 27 and eventually rose to become president of the car company. He later oversaw the restructuring that led to the F1 team's 21st century dominance, providing a link between the days of Enzo and Schumacher.
Di Montezemolo in conversation with Jean Todt | Sutton Images
As technical director Mauro Forghieri was responsible for some of the great Ferrari grand prix cars, including both of Niki Lauda's title-winning machines.
Forghieri talks with sometime Ferrari pilot Mario Andretti | © Peter Darley
When Di Montezemolo began rebuilding the Scuderia he created a team led by Jean Todt, with the combined talents of Ross Brawn (technical director), Rory Byrne (chief designer) and Paolo Martinelli (head of engines). With Schumacher in the car, incredible things happened.
The Scuderia's dream team. From left to right: Martinelli, Brawn, Todt and Byrne | Sutton Images
THE TIFOSI
Ferrari are by far F1's most popular team. But while they have devoted fans across the world, in Italy the Scuderia is almost a religion. Tens of thousands of fanatical supporters arrive at Monza each year in what borders on a pilgrimage.
The Tifosi in full force | © The Cahier Archive 2017
Ferrari drivers become instant icons to their followers, particularly if they can win on Italian soil. But their support is unconditional: if you race for Ferrari, you race for the Tifosi.
The Tifosi cheer on Niki Lauda at the 1975 Italian Grand Prix | Sutton Images
THE HIGHS AND LOWS
It is safe to say that Ferrari have experienced every emotion imaginable during their decades in the sport. The team have enjoyed years of dominance and spent seasons in the doldrums, seen great success and terrible tragedy.
© Peter Darley
The 1961 season brought both. Heading to Monza Ferrari’s Wolfgang von Trips looked set to secure the world title, but a collision with Jim Clark sent the German up an embankment and into a spectator area. Von Trips was killed, along with 15 fans, in one of F1’s darkest days.
Driving the iconic sharknosed Ferraris, Von Trips leads Hill at Spa in 1961 | © Peter Darley
Despite the accident the race resumed and was won by the other Ferrari of Phil Hill, who took a narrow points lead. With Von Trips the only driver who could have caught him Hill secured the title that day, but the celebrations were silenced by the tragedy that had taken place.
The start of the fateful 1961 Italian Grand Prix. Von Trips runs second, in car #4 | Sutton Images
Clay Regazzoni drove for Ferrari between 1970 and 1976, an impressively long stint during this era of F1. His best campaign came in 1974, when the Swiss racer missed out on the title by just two points to Emerson Fittipaldi.
Gianclaudio Giuseppe Regazzoni – better known as Clay. | © Peter Darley
Niki Lauda’s return from injury in 1976 is one of the most incredible stories in Ferrari’s long history. The Austrian’s fiery accident at the Nurburgring left him hanging between life and death. Somehow, he was back in the car just six weeks later at Monza, still suffering terrible pain from his severe burns.
Lauda was still in considerable pain following his accident, but finished a heroic fourth at Monza | Sutton Images
Though he didn't win a world title for the team, many see Gilles Villeneuve as the quintessential Ferrari driver. Best remembered for his bravery and skill behind the wheel, he also became embroiled in an infamous spat with teammate Didier Pironi in 1982.
Villeneuve follows Pironi after the Frenchman controversially passed and re-passed his furious teammate | © The Cahier Archive 2017
Villeneuve vowed never to speak to Pironi again after accusing the Frenchman of going back on a pre-race agreement and stealing victory at Imola. Two weeks later, Gilles was killed in qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix.
Pironi celebrates at Imola while Villeneuve (far left) looks on in disgust | Sutton Images
Ferrari's longevity has helped to make them F1's most successful squad. Alain Prost’s victory at the 1990 French Grand Prix was their 100th win in the world championship.
Prost secured Ferrari's 100th win at his home event | Sutton Images
Having required 40 years to accumulate the first century, the success of the Schumacher years meant the next milestone took considerably less time to reach. By winning the 2007 Chinese Grand Prix Kimi Raikkonen gave Ferrari their 200th triumph, making them the only team in the sport’s history to reach a double century.
Kimi's 2007 win in China was watched by scores of Ferrari fans, demonstrating the Scuderia's unique global appeal | Sutton Images
Almost 70 years after the world championship began Ferrari are the only team to contest every season. It is fair to say that the two cannot be separated: Ferrari needs F1 just as F1 needs Ferrari.
With the red cars back on top in 2017 the sport has received a much-needed boost, as viewers tune in to cheer for or against the Scuderia. Just as in the fifties, racing for victory is part of the Ferrari DNA.
The great Nino Farina aboard a Ferrari at Monza in 1953 | © The Cahier Archive 2017
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Images from the Cahier Archive can be found in Formula One: The Pursuit of Speed: A Photographic Celebration of F1's Greatest Moments, published by Aurum. Click here for buying options.
Images by Peter Darley can be found in Pit & Paddock: Behind the Scenes at UK and European Circuits in the 60s and 70s, published by Aurum. Buying options can be found here.
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Comments (10)
Some side notes. Ferrari was a mechanic of the Alfa Romeo racing team. Then he founded his factory and his car won the second race he participated to.
The horse on the logo was of the Italian WWI Ace Francesco Baracca and was donated to Enzo by the ace's wife.
Lamborghini was a client of Ferrari. An agricultural tractors builder. After he destroyed the engine of a couple of Ferraris he said those cars were no good while Enzo told he wasn't able to drive them. So he started to build cars too to show how to make proper cars :)
This is the history in Ferrari's veins...
Finally a post universally praised
Good stuff. However, let us not forget that the cars in the main picture, are not really Ferraris; They are Lancia D50s if l am not mistaken. Ferrari took over the Lancia F1 cars.
Fantastic read.
Amazing piece here, a lot of history in just a few paragraphs