Racing stripes on a ferrari?

[Cliff Beer]

I find it pretty ironic that Ferrari has chosen to put roof top racing stripes on their 430 scuderia - didn't the GT40 pioneer racing stripes right about the time they were kicking Ferrari's ass at LeMans circa '66-'69?

Or, was there some roof-top racing stripes predecessor to the GT40 from continental Europe?

 

[Keith]

Seems it was an All American idea dating from 1951, ironically about the time Ferrari started. But yes Cliff, the Scuderia are plagiarists!

Racing stripe - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Johann]

If you use that kind off "thinking" then Ford designers were plagiarists too when designing the GT40. Ferdinand Porsche designed the first mid-engine car for Benz in the 1930's.
The Italians were the first to use one choke per cyl. Weber's on their V engine designed cars and I am sure that there are many other examples like this.

 

[Paolo-LoveGT40 Modelworks]

commercial commercial commercial...they are just wonderful over a dream car as the scuderia is.

btw, also fxx has a big white stripe over it (as well as older 360 challenge had, with italian flag inside)
I personally think such tripes were totally unknown down here over cars. Wesaw theme over american cars and loved it at once......so why not also over a ferrari?

just commercial, very welldone this time

 

[Cliff Beer]

Yes, that all makes sense - we're all just plagiarizing the good ideas of everyone else and using those ideas to our own advantage. That's fine and normal and the way of things in all manner of business and life in general.

I'm just wondering if the Ferrari stylists realized the historical irony of what they were doing when spec'ing roof top racing stripes. Considering the GT40/P3&P4 wars happened over 40 years ago they may not even know or understand the irony. It's a great looking Ferrari no doubt but I'll take a GT40 or a Ford GT over any Ferrari (including the one in my garage).

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Personally I think the stripes spoil the look of the F430. To narrow, I think one broad stripe would look better, none at all even better still.
And Cliff I think your are right, the irony has escaped them.

 

[Chris Headon]

Of much more concern is the recent plethora of ordinary road cars sporting the classic stripes that should be reserved for supercars and race cars. Ford themselves have debased the stripe by adding it to their Fiesta. Fiat/Ferrari also have added them to the Punto. I parked my bestriped GT near a punto with similar livery and the driver could not even look at me but hurried away looking very embarrased.