Ferrari honors Niki Lauda with Monza tribute livery as fans call for it to stay all season
Ferrari arrives at their home race at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza following a disappointing double retirement at Zandvoort, yet the Scuderia has maintained its celebratory spirit for the iconic event. Despite setbacks, the team is focused on making a strong impression in front of their passionate home crowd.
Lewis Hamilton will aim to move past his uncharacteristic crash in the Netherlands, although the seven-time Formula 1 World Champion carries a five-place grid penalty into the race. Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, will look to replicate his victory from last season and leverage the car upgrades Ferrari introduced last year that allowed them to challenge McLaren for the Constructors’ Championship in the latter stages of the 2024 campaign.
Ferrari launches Niki Lauda tribute livery at Monza
Ferrari has a long-standing tradition of celebrating their home Grand Prix with special liveries, and this year they are paying homage to one of the team’s most legendary figures, Niki Lauda. The Scuderia has unveiled a throwback design to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Lauda’s first World Championship title in 1975. The car’s new livery features a white engine cover, Italian flag motifs on the roll hoop, and updated wheel covers. The names of both drivers are stylized to reflect the historic designs used by Lauda and his 1975 teammate, Clay Regazzoni.
Both Hamilton and Leclerc will sport specially designed race suits for the occasion, adding to the tribute’s authenticity. Ferrari fans quickly took to social media, particularly Instagram, expressing overwhelming support and urging the team to retain the livery for the remainder of the season. Comments included:
- “Petition to keep this livery for the rest of the year, please.”
- “This should have been the livery all year instead of the one we got.”
- “You can keep this the whole year—that’d be cool.”
- “Why wasn’t this the base livery all season?”
- “Let’s just have this livery for the rest of the season.”
Lauda’s legacy and connection to Hamilton
Niki Lauda remains one of Ferrari’s most celebrated drivers, winning two of his three Formula 1 World Championships with the Scuderia after joining in 1974. His first championship triumph came in 1975, and he was poised to repeat the feat in 1976 before suffering a near-fatal crash at the Nürburgring, which sidelined him for much of the season. Lauda narrowly lost the 1976 title to James Hunt by just one point after returning later in the season. He secured his final championship with Ferrari in 1977 before leaving the team following a dispute with Enzo Ferrari.
Lauda’s influence extends beyond his own racing career. Lewis Hamilton, who spent much of his championship-winning years at Mercedes, has often cited Lauda as a mentor and key figure in his development as a driver. The Monza tribute livery not only honors Lauda’s remarkable history with Ferrari but also highlights the connection between one of Formula 1’s greatest champions and the team he once guided.
With the Italian Grand Prix just around the corner, Ferrari hopes the tribute livery will inspire both their drivers and fans alike, while reigniting momentum for the 2025 season after a challenging start.
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