Ferrari’s tribute to Michael Schumacher at this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix will be completed by one of his legendary cars being driven by Sebastian Vettel.
The Scuderia is marking 30 years since the German legend’s arrival in Maranello, with the race taking place just one week before the anniversary of his first win at Monza as a Ferrari driver.
Its SF-26, like many of its recent predecessors at Monza, will feature a special livery based on the F310, the car that Schumacher and Eddie Irvine drove that season, which took him to two other victories, in Barcelona and Spa.
Schumacher went on to win five consecutive championships at Ferrari between 2000 and 2004, and it is his all-conquering F2002, which took him to a then-record-equalling fifth title, that will be driven by Vettel.
Often regarding Schumacher as his hero and someone with whom he shared a close relationship when he made his comeback with Mercedes, Vettel, like Schumacher, made a surprise switch to Ferrari as reigning World Champion in 2015.
Ferrari has said the car, that won all but four of the Grands Prix in 2002, will use “advanced sustainable fuel developed specifically by Shell, drawing on the know-how acquired this season to create the fuel being used in 2026,” something in keeping with Vettel’s previous demos.
The four-time World Champion has previously completed show runs in his retirement in cars – the 1992 Williams FW14B and the 1993 McLaren MP4/8 – powered by sustainable fuels.
It will also be given a run on Saturday by Schumacher’s then-teammate Rubens Barrichello, who won that year’s Italian Grand Prix, leading Schumacher in a Ferrari 1-2.
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