Ferrari's new single-seater
which will compete in this year’s FIA Formula 1 World
Championship and which it will unveil the day after
tomorrow (Friday) at Maranello, as part of an event
which will be broadcast live on RAI 2 and on Ferrari's
own website, is to be called the F150.
The choice of name stems from Ferrari’s desire to pay
tribute to this year’s one hundred and fiftieth
anniversary of the Unification of Italy. The placement
of the “Tricolore” Italian flag as part of the car
livery will therefore have even more significance in
2011.
“Ferrari is an expression of Italian excellence, talent
and creativity,” declared President Luca di Montezemolo.
“All the men and women who put so much effort and
passion into their work at Maranello share the pride and
responsibility of representing our country around the
world and it is in this spirit that we chose to dedicate
this car to an event that is so important for the whole
of Italy.”
The news was announced in advance this afternoon, to the
President of the Italian Republic, Giorgio Napolitano,
who expressed his appreciation of the initiative. He
also took the opportunity to wish the Scuderia the best
of luck for the forthcoming season.
2011: 150th Anniversary
of Italian Unification
In 1861, after the
wars waged against the Austrians and once Garibaldi's
famous expedition to Sicily was completed, the long
period of political and military fights leading Italy to
unification was finally over and on the 17th March of
that year national unity was proclaimed in Turin, which
became the first capital city of Italy.
During the
Risorgimento, the city took in the exiles from all over
the country. They had developed a common unitarian
aspiration and here they designed the political strategy
that would result into the unification of the country.
Therefore, the new history of Italy, independent and
united, initiated from Turin on the 17th March one and a
half centuries ago. The city would be the capital for
four years until 1865, when the centrality of the
Government of the Kingdom moved to Florence. Rome became
the final capital city, from 1871, when the unification
of the country was fully completed.
In 1911 and 1961, on
the occasion of the Fiftieth anniversary and the
Centennial of national unification, Turin became again
the core of the country: the grand celebrations taking
place there for the two anniversaries drew over 6
million visitors each. In 2011 Italy will celebrate 150
years and, once again, Turin is going to celebrate the
anniversary with a magnificent event.
