Tag: Ferrari F2002

7 Overlooked Moments at the 2026 Italian Grand Prix

Vettel Honors Schumacher with F2002 Demonstration at Monza

Thirty years after Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari debut, the Temple of Speed hosted a poignant tribute from another German great. Ahead of Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel — who raced for the Scuderia from 2015 to 2020 — piloted Schumacher’s championship-winning Ferrari F2002 around Monza in front of the Tifosi. The F2002, one of Ferrari’s most successful cars with 15 victories across the 2002 and 2003 seasons, turned heads with the unmistakable scream of its V10 engine. “There is still a race to win, for my friend Michael,” Vettel wrote on social media.

Tifosi Paint Piazza Del Duomo Red

Nothing captures Italian Grand Prix weekend quite like a Piazza Del Duomo in Milan overflowing with Ferrari fans. Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, and special guests entertained the crowd on a sunny afternoon. South Korean DJ Peggy Gou headlined the musical entertainment, and Leclerc even tried his hand at spinning the decks — though the two-time Italian GP winner might be better off sticking to driving. Hamilton chose to share the moment with his mother, Linda, who received one of the loudest cheers of the day and a true Tifosi welcome.

The seven-time World Champion explained the significance of her visit: “And my mum’s here this weekend because she’s never experienced — she’s never actually, I don’t think, been to Monza — but also particularly on a Ferrari weekend. And I wanted her to experience that and, you know, bring any of the lucky dust she can bring.”

Sainz Shines on the Venice Red Carpet

Carlos Sainz swapped his race suit for Giorgio Armani elegance at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival. The Williams driver looked perfectly at home on the red carpet for the premiere of Danny Boyle’s new film Ink, accompanied by his partner Rebecca Donaldson.

Lightning McQueen Celebrates 20 Years at the Temple of Speed

Disney-Pixar’s Cars turns 20 this year, and the seven-time Piston Cup champion Lightning McQueen made a special appearance at Monza. While the iconic movie car didn’t race, the Safety Car wore a commemorative livery marking the anniversary. For drivers like Liam Lawson and Franco Colapinto, meeting their childhood hero in the paddock was a dream come true.

Antonelli’s Helmet Pays Homage to Valentino Rossi

Home hero Kimi Antonelli arrived at Monza leading the drivers’ standings and marked the occasion with a bespoke helmet design inspired by Italian MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi. The livery echoes the helmet Rossi wore at the 2002 Mugello Grand Prix, featuring the Italian flag, vignettes of daily life — an espresso cup, a slice of pizza — the sun, the sea, a family, and at the rear, two cartoon figures representing Antonelli and Rossi.

Antonelli Enters the Disney Universe as Kimi Paperelli

In a unique career milestone, a cartoon version of Antonelli — Kimi Paperelli — debuted in Topolino magazine this weekend, placing the Italian driver in the world of Duckburg. Joss Hastings, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Disney Consumer Products, explained the collaboration: “Fuel the Magic is all about bringing Disney storytelling into the world of Formula 1 in unexpected and creative ways. Seeing Kimi become Kimi Paperelli is especially meaningful knowing that he grew up reading Topolino and loving Donald Duck.”

Barilla Transforms the Grid into a Dining Room

Continuing an Italian tradition, F1’s Official Pasta Partner Barilla brought the Formula 1 family together for a special pre-race dinner. The starting grid was transformed into a unique dining room with an F1-inspired three-course menu, each course presented as a different ‘lap’. Few dinner reservations offer a view quite like the Monza grid.

09/07/2026
Formula 1 Fans Moved as Sebastian Vettel Drives Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari F2002 at Monza

Sebastian Vettel Honors Michael Schumacher with Ferrari F2002 Demo at Monza

Four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel delivered an emotional tribute to his childhood hero Michael Schumacher on Sunday, piloting the legendary Ferrari F2002 around the Monza circuit ahead of the Italian Grand Prix. The demonstration run, powered by sustainable fuel, coincided with the 30th anniversary of Schumacher’s Formula 1 debut with the Scuderia.

Iconic Machinery Returns to the Temple of Speed

The Ferrari F2002 stands among the most dominant cars in F1 history, securing 15 victories across the 2002 and 2003 seasons. Vettel, who raced for Ferrari between 2015 and 2020, took the iconic V10-powered machine onto the track in front of the passionate Tifosi, sparking an immediate and powerful reaction across social media platforms.

The Sound That Defined an Era

The unmistakable scream of the early-2000s V10 engine emerged as the primary talking point for fans worldwide. The visceral audio experience triggered a wave of nostalgia and emotion.

“You just can’t beat that sound. Music to our ears,”

one fan commented on Reddit, while another added:

“That noise is so emotive. Modern cars aren’t in the same league.”

Fans Reflect on Schumacher’s Legacy and Vettel’s Tribute

The demonstration run prompted deeper reflections on Schumacher’s enduring impact on the sport and the void left by his absence from public life following his 2013 skiing accident.

“Beautiful car, beautiful sound, driven by the most fitting person to drive it other than the great man himself. Really saddens me that Michael will never get to have these moments in retirement and the appreciation for his achievements and the memories he created for the sport. There’s a void with him missing during these times,”

one fan posted.

Others expressed the bittersweet nature of witnessing the car’s return:

“That sound makes me so happy and so sad. Happy for the memories and the absolute awesomeness of it. Sad that we will never have a grid of those cars racing ever again,”

read another comment.

The personal connection many fans felt to the Schumacher-Ferrari era surfaced repeatedly:

“I was not prepared for how emotional this actually made me. That car and Michael were such a huge part of my youth and a big part of why I fell in love with this sport. And there is nobody more fitting to drive it than Seb.”

Calls for More Classic F1 Demonstrations

The overwhelming positive response has led to suggestions that Formula 1 should incorporate historic car runs into more race weekends.

“They need to bring a classic F1 car to every race and do this so everyone can hear the greatness,”

one fan wrote.

For those in attendance at Monza, the experience was particularly visceral:

“I’m at the circuit right now, watching that car go by while singing and then Seb’s words afterwards. Tears to my eyes, really.”

The demonstration served as a powerful reminder of Formula 1’s rich heritage and the enduring emotional connection between the sport’s history, its legendary figures, and the global fanbase that cherishes those memories.

09/06/2026
Sebastian Vettel Pays Emotional Tribute to Michael Schumacher in Ferrari F2002

Four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel delivered an emotional tribute to Michael Schumacher at the Italian Grand Prix, piloting the legendary Ferrari F2002 during pre-race demonstrations at Monza. The demonstration coincided with Ferrari’s celebration of the 30th anniversary of Schumacher’s 1996 debut with the Scuderia.

Schumacher’s Dominant F2002 Returns to Monza

The Ferrari F2002 stands as one of the most successful cars in Formula 1 history. Developed during the peak of the Jean Todt and Ross Brawn era, the chassis powered Schumacher to 11 victories and teammate Rubens Barrichello to five wins in the 2002 season. Ferrari won all but two races that year, with Schumacher never finishing off the podium. He clinched his fifth world title—and third consecutive with Ferrari—by the end of July after just 11 rounds.

Vettel Overcome with Emotion During Demo Laps

For Vettel, a Ferrari driver from 2015 to 2020 who long sought to replicate Schumacher’s glory years, the experience transcended the car’s historic statistics. Schumacher has not appeared in public since a skiing accident in December 2013.

“I’m caught and mixed up in feelings,” Vettel said after the demonstration as he was on the verge of tears. “On the one hand it’s such a beautiful car to drive. It’s such a beautiful piece of machinery. But much more, it’s Michael’s car. He’s not here today but I felt him a lot in these laps, and I hope you heard him and felt him as well.”

Feeling the Soul of a Championship Car

Vettel described a powerful connection to the vehicle’s character during his laps, visibly moved by the experience.

“It’s so exciting,” Vettel described, visibly shaking with glee. “It doesn’t take many laps to sense the soul of a car, and you sense immediately that it was a special car and it’s just screaming at you like ‘Go, go, go,’.”

He added: “I was all the time torn between I want to push this car and I would enjoy the moment and make it last but no, it’s been absolutely beautiful and to feel how alive Michael’s spirit is and how alive Ferrari’s spirit is around here. I experienced it myself years ago.”

A New Chapter Beyond the Cockpit

Reflecting on his current role mentoring the next generation of drivers, Vettel acknowledged the bittersweet nature of the occasion.

“There’s bits that I miss but it’s a different life and looking after the next generation of drivers as I said, there’s great opportunities ahead. So, it’s a very emotional day. My heart is beating and I’m very, very proud and I miss Michael.”

Sebastian Vettel
Photo by: Eric Le Galliot

Watch Sebastian Vettel’s demo run in Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari F2002 at Monza

09/06/2026