Ferrari Turns 60...

By Ben Oliver

Motor Shows

26 June 2007 09:52

Happy Birthday to you...

Ferrari is celebrating its 60th anniversary with a five-day party at its famous Fiorano test track. More than 1000 Ferraris have descended on Maranello from around the world, including some of the rarest and most valuable road cars. Invited Ferrari owners saw Scuderia legends from Nino Vaccarella to Michael Schumacher take to the track in the cars they raced. And the 60th anniversary baton too, which has made a five-month relay around the world involving 10,000 Ferraris starting at the site of the new Ferrari World theme park in Abu Dhabi. It was brought into Maranello by Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen on Saturday and was then carried into Enzo Ferrari's house at Fiorano by Niki Lauda.

The event marks 60 years since the first car to be badged as a Ferrari – the 125S – was driven by Franco Cortese at a race in Piacenza on 25 May 1947. Clashes with the F1 schedule mean the party is a month overdue, but this allowed both Raikkonen and Massa to attend. Raikkonen drove the current F2007 F1 car and Massa was spectacular in the 4.5-litre, 400bhp 1951 375 in which Froilan Gonzalez won Ferrari’s first F1 race. Ferrari legends Gerhard Berger, Rene Arnoux, Jody Scheckter and Jean Alesi also drove, but the crowd’s standing ovation was saved for Schumacher in his F2004. The timing of the event meant last weekend’s Goodwood Festival of Speed was denied many of its regular stars.

By Ben Oliver