Ferrari have switched their legendary red for a distinctive blue and white outfit at the Italian Grand Prix. They'll also sport a unique livery, with the alterations made to mark the 50th anniversary of Niki Lauda's maiden F1 world championship.

Lauda, who famously donned a blue racing suit, managed only third place at Monza in 1975. However, that outcome proved sufficient to secure the title with one round remaining that campaign, as Ferrari claimed the championship in front their passionate home supporters. The iconic Austrian subsequently captured another crown with the Prancing Horse in 1977 and a third with McLaren in 1984. That's a level of success that both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc can currently only dream about.

Whilst the duo have received a champion's reception in Italy this week, their campaigns have each proved disappointing. Last week's Dutch GP, where both drivers crashed out of the race, perfectly illustrated their individual frustrations.

With Leclerc fifth in the drivers' championship and Hamilton behind him in sixth, Ferrari's 18-year title barren spell will extend into the 2026 regulation modifications. Team boss Fred Vasseur is anticipating being lifted by the home backing this weekend, though expressed caution about becoming overly absorbed in the spectacle.

He said: "As every year, we are eagerly looking forward to hitting the track at Monza, especially so just a few days after Zandvoort, which didn't deliver the results we'd hoped for, even if we demonstrated that we had the race pace to do well.

"For the entire team, being surrounded by the passion of our tifosi is an incredible motivation to put our hearts into everything we do. We are aiming to give our very best to repay them for their constant support.

"However, in order to do that, we need to put emotions aside and focus on ensuring that we execute the weekend to the best of our ability, from the very first lap of free practice right through to the final lap of the race.

"Over the course of this season, we've made progress in terms of competitiveness, but with such a closely matched field, we must be flawless to get the results we're aiming for. We'll give it everything we have, knowing we can count on all the love and support of our tifosi."

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Ferrari also incorporated blue for the Miami GP back in May. Nevertheless, that was for an entirely different purpose - to commemorate a year of partnership with title sponsors Hewlett-Packard (HP).

Lauda occupies a cherished position in Hamilton's affections in particular, having been instrumental in the seven-time world champion's move from McLaren to Mercedes in his role as their non-executive chairman. The duo collaborated extensively at the Silver Arrows before Lauda's passing in 2019.

Hamilton, who faces a five-place grid penalty for failing to slow for yellow flags at Zandvoort, will honour him with his own distinctive tribute this weekend, sporting a yellow and white helmet displaying his name. Discussing Lauda in 2020, he said with emotion: "Niki is someone who I miss and who I think we all miss dearly.

"It is a difficult subject to talk about. Someone you are so fond of and someone that ultimately the world has lost, but I have only the greatest memories with Niki."