Maserati reveals FTributo special editions

MASERATI has announced a special edition FTributo, available for the Ghibli and Levante, which pays tribute to female Formula 1 pioneer Maria Teresa De Filippis.

 

De Filippis was the first woman to qualify for a Formula 1 Grand Prix, wrangling a Maserati 250F, appropriately nicknamed “the she-devil” for her audacious driving style. 

 

In a stunning tribute to the iconic racing driver, Maserati has launched the FTributo in two distinct colours – Arancio Devil and Grigio Lamiera. 

 

The Arancio Devil is a saturated orange, while Grigio Lamiera is a distinct grey, inspired “by the track” where Maserati forged its performance roots.

 

Bold colour choices aside, the exterior changes include cobalt blue 21-inch Anteo wheels for the orange option, or gloss black Titano wheels for the grey livery option.

 

While the special edition brings no tangible performance upgrades, the visual upgrades are both racy and audacious in memory of a driver who was both those things.

 

The FTributo models feature special badging, and interior colours that match the exterior flair, with unique stitching across the full-grain leather.

 

De Filippis was born in Naples in 1926, and by 1948 she was beating her male counterparts out on the racetrack.

 

At just 22 years old, she won the 10km Salerno-Cava de ‘Tirreni, in the 500cc class of the touring car category, igniting her passion.

 

By 1954 she had moved on to an Osca 1100cc and took the win at the 12 Hours of Pescara, the Trullo d’Oro, the Catania-Etna, and the circuits of Caserta and Syracuse. 

 

A fateful year for both De Filippis and Maserati was 1955, when she jumped into a Maserati 2000 A5GCS, in which she saw many wins, among them the Catania-Etna in record time. 

 

In 1958, she pedalled a privately-owned Maserati 250F in her debut in the GP of Syracuse, then competing in her first Formula World Championship Gran Prix in Belgium.

 

She was the first woman to ever compete in Formula 1, and a tenacious pioneer of the sport, an important player across the history of the Maserati brand. 

 

Her story of tenacity, courage and audacity is commemorated with the FTributo, some 74 years after her racing debut.