Ferrari is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2007 with a major event from June 21st to June 24th in Maranello, Italy. Maranello will be the finish line in a "relay race" across five continents where participants will carry a baton embossed with symbols of the 60 greatest moments in the company's history.

The "Ferrari 60 Relay" kicked off late last month (January 28th) in Abu Dhabi, the location chosen as a result of ongoing plans to build a major Ferrari theme park plus a motor racing circuit on the island of Yas in the most rapidly developing area of the Emirates' capital, The relay will conclude in Maranello on June 24th, after having traversed about 50 countries in 148 days. The relay was officially started in Abu Dhabi by Piero Ferrari, Vice President of Ferrari and the son of the founder Enzo Ferrari. In his speech, Ferrari spoke about his father and his brilliant intuition in creating a marque that has become a symbol of Italian talent and exclusivity across the world. He also praised Luca di Montezemolo who has, over the last 15 years, returned Ferrari to the very pinnacle of the sporting and commercial worlds.

After the Middle East leg, which is well underway now will take in Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait before it is completed, the relay will make its way across China, Japan, Australia, South Africa, America and the whole of Europe. The marathon relay will end at Maranello on June 23rd.
 

 The participants in the tour will be received at the various Italian embassies in the countries they pass through en route to Maranello. Also on June 16th, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs will host a special ceremony at the Palazzo della Farnesina in Rome during which there will be a charity auction by Ferrari, the proceeds of which will be donated to needy children.

The central theme of the final events will be the technological innovations which were  pioneered by Ferrari during the 60 years of its existence. For the occasion, Ferrari is assembling its 60 most important innovations, ranging from aluminium pliers for disc brakes to the electric differential and the F1 gearbox. Against this backdrop Ferrari has organized its first concours d'élégance: a series of events on the track, at the factory and at the Galleria Ferrari in Maranello which will celebrate the elegance of the Ferrari. An Opera Omnia book will be published on the company's history, a collection of pictures and data on all the road cars and race cars ever built by Ferrari.

The baton for the Ferrari 60 Relay was specially created to symbolize the history of the company, from its first success at the Rome Grand Prix of 1947 to the Ferrari FXX of 2006. Ferrari's clients are carrying the baton around the world in their cars.

Meanwhile yesterday was the first day of testing this week for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, the team working at the Jerez de la Frontera circuit, in the south of Spain. On track yesterday were Kimi Raikkonen and Luca Badoer, the latter a last minute stand-in for Felipe Massa, who had developed a fever. Both drivers had an F2007 at their disposal and worked on the overall development of the car. The day in figures was as follows: 85 laps for Kimi (best time 1.20.225) and 65 for Luca (1.20.662). Testing continues at this circuit today with Raikkonen and Massa at the wheel.