Five greatest Ferrari victories caught on video.

Of all automotive manufacturing marques, Ferrari is the most synonymous with Formula 1. With their unmistakable red liveries long painting a stark contrast against the racing surfaces of the world and 221 total Grand Prix victories to their name, it’s little surprise that Ferrari has been at the centre of some of the greatest moments the sport has yet seen. Here are our five favourites, and why.

Ascari brings it home – 1952

1952 was a hallmark year for Ferrari, who took their first overall driver victory, and 1,2,3 in the championship. The greatest achievement within this was without a doubt that of Alberto Ascari, who won every race that he finished – six out of the eight rounds in total. The most iconic victory of the year was at the last round of the season and the Italian GP as Ascari took the win on his home soil, officially signifying Ferrari’s first Grand Prix World Championship.

Lauda wins at Monaco – 1975

There’s little wonder why Ferrari were so happy about this win by Niki Lauda, as they hadn’t experienced victory at Monaco in 20 years. It was a huge move for Lauda too, who despite eventually winning the 1975 Championship by some margin, hadn’t actually seen the podium in the four rounds prior. His first win of the season, Monaco in ’75 kick started a performance which would net Lauda his first ever F1 World Championship.

 

Gilles Villeneuve first win – Montreal 1978 

Gilles Villenevue was a Ferrari legend, thanks in no small part to his relentless driving style and resonance with the fans. Spending the commanding majority of his Formula 1 Racing career with Ferrari, this video sees Canadian Gilles snatch his first win on home soil in Montreal in 1978, in the twilight moments of the season. The GP victory signified the beginning of a hot streak that would see him place second in the following year.

 

Mansell wins on Ferrari debut – 1989

Nigel Mansell didn’t go into the Brazillian GP expecting much – he hated the track and had little faith in the resilience of the new electronic, semi-automatic gearbox which Ferrari were pioneering for the 1989 season.  Legend has it that Mansell even jested of booking a flight home from Brazil for half way through the race, such was his lack of confidence in the ability of the transmission to last an event. It’s a good thing he didn’t, because with things going his way and a terrific driving effort he ended up taking the top spot. Gearbox issues would ultimately plague the team for the remainder of the season, however this first-round victory will forever be remembered as a triumph against the odds.

 

Schumacher delivers the first of five – 2000

By the year 2000  more than two decades had rolled by since Ferrari brought home a Formula 1 World Championship, making it an iconic moment when Michael Schumacher broke the trend, confirming the overall points victory at Suzuka in 2000. It’s fantastic to watch this video and observe the passion, relief and excitement experienced by driver, team and fans, knowing now with the gift of hindsight that their were four more consecutive championships to follow.

Opening image: The Cahier Archive