The Ferrari SF-23 brings back the 1970s with a special livery for the Las Vegas Grand Prix

The special design aims to pay tribute to the successes of American Ferrari in the 1970s.

9 November 2023 at 20:27

The Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix looks set to become one of the biggest, albeit controversial, sporting events in recent memory. Regardless of the different points of view, Formula 1 cars racing through city streets bathed in Vegas Strip light are sure to be quite stunning, and as such, Ferrari decided they needed to arrive in style by decorating their SF-23 with a special livery. .

The special paint job is intended to pay tribute to the successes of American Ferrari in its heyday. They’re specifically referring to Mario Andretti’s 1971 312 B and Gilles Villeneuve’s 1978 312 T4, two cars that served as the inspiration behind this new livery design.

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Elements of the SF-23 that were originally black are now bright white, such as the shark fin graphic, leading edge, front wing end panels, several sponsor logos, and the entire rear wing. The nose cone, side horns, shark fins and rear spoiler have also been treated to a host of retro pinstripe touches, which match well with the old-fashioned driver’s numbers that Ferrari has used on its car this year. While the cool design is meant to evoke the 1970s, we can’t help but see a few early 2000s red and white Ferraris as well, and that’s not a bad thing.

In addition to the car, drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz will also wear special racing suits and helmets to match the new colour. With all these changes, Ferrari is sure to be very popular under the Vegas lights, but the race itself has attracted some negative attention.

SEE ALSO: What it took to build the new Las Vegas Formula 1 track

Expensive tickets and limited views

For example, the exorbitant ticket prices left many fans feeling alienated, as if the race was more of a money grab designed to cater to the wealthy rather than a spectacle reserved for motorsport fans. In conjunction with this, Formula 1 is said to have gone out of its way to block views of the track that do not have paid seating areas, as well as charging companies with views of the track for the privilege of not being blocked. These measures somewhat defeat the purpose of holding the race in a city environment, as part of the appeal comes from the fact that spectators can watch the race as well.

Aside from the problems with organizing the race, local residents complained about the severe inconvenience that the construction of the track caused to their daily lives and the community as a whole. Not to mention the conditions faced by the workers charged with building the arena and its accompanying facilities.

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This is not the first time Formula 1 has had problems in Las Vegas. Die-hard Formula 1 fans will remember the Caesars Palace Grand Prix of the 1980s, and needless to say, it had its fair share of issues as well. Aside from the flat, repetitive E-shaped design, the track was actually built in a parking lot, more specifically, in the parking lot of Caesars Palace Casino. Because of that, it was also very short. At 3,650 km (2,268 mi), the temporary circuit was only 313 meters (1,027 ft) longer than the notoriously short Monaco Street Circuit. Additionally, with the race being hosted during the day in the hot Nevada desert, temperatures became a serious issue, resulting in many drivers suffering from heat exhaustion if their car had not already warmed up first.

With a longer, more purpose-built design, a more desirable city location, and a nighttime setting to beat the heat, the new Las Vegas GP aims to right the wrongs of its predecessor, but until the cars first take to the FP1 track and on November 16, we won’t know for sure whether You will achieve this goal.