WHAT’S BEHIND THE LIVERIES OF FORMULA 1 CARS?

“Ask a child to draw a car, and they’ll most likely make it red.” With this statement, Enzo Ferrari liked to highlight the fame of his team. Ferrari, based in Maranello, has long been a legend in motorsport, particularly in racing, and is considered the quintessential car by many people. Even its color is highly identifiable: when a child sees a red car, they often assume it’s a Ferrari.

But where does this connection between the car manufacturer and its most iconic color come from? The answer to this question is much less romantic than one might think. It’s actually a rule enforced by the international federation in the first half of the 20th century. The 1900s marked the rise of motorsport, bringing international races that attracted audiences from all over the world. As a result, it was decided that each country’s cars would have specific colors to represent their nationality, making it easier for the public to identify their favorite drivers. The liveries were predetermined by the international federation, with no room for modification. Specifically, the most famous colors were green for British cars, blue for French, red for Italian, white with blue stripes for American cars, and white or silver for German vehicles.

These color codes were used even when the world’s most famous car championship, Formula 1, was born in 1950. As the championship took off, teams adopted liveries based on their country, regardless of the driver’s nationality. Over time, this practice led to strong associations between certain colors and teams, such as Mercedes being nicknamed the “Silver Arrows” and the Auto Union cars (Audi’s predecessor) in pre-World War II European races.

In the 1950s and 1960s, the “rosso corsa” (racing red) became strongly associated with Ferrari, particularly after the team clinched six drivers’ titles and two constructors’ championships. However, this didn’t happen for many other teams, many of which were British and difficult to distinguish for casual fans.

The game, however, was set to change quickly. In 1968, with a much more evolved and global context, the FIA allowed teams to display sponsor logos and modify their car liveries without color restrictions. Before this, teams could only display logos of companies supplying components to the cars, without changing national color regulations.

The first team to take advantage of this was Lotus, which debuted a new livery at the second race of 1968. The traditional green color was replaced with a combination of white, red, and gold, reflecting their new sponsor, Gold Leaf cigarettes. This made Gold Leaf the first official sponsor in Formula 1 history. Soon, most teams followed suit, abandoning national colors, although not everyone was pleased with the change. Rob Walker, a major backer of smaller teams, lamented the loss of passion in the sport, saying: “For years, I’ve fielded cars for drivers like Trintignant, Bonnier, Moss, and Siffert, with two goals: have fun and lose money. Now it’s all over. If I advertise my products, I might even make money, and I don’t like that at all. An era is over. Money will win over passion.”

The world of racing underwent a radical transformation that wouldn’t stop, and by the 1970s, even Ferrari had begun collaborations with various brands. However, the Maranello team refused to abandon its signature red livery. This decision turned out to be very successful, strengthening the team’s identity, which remains iconic today.

Ferrari is a unique case. The team has raced over 1,000 Formula 1 races with its classic red livery, except for two occasions. In 1964, due to a conflict with the Italian federation, Ferrari’s license to race was revoked, forcing the team to race under the North American Racing Team (NART) banner, with cars painted in American national colors. These two instances remain the only times Ferrari departed from its red tradition.

The constant shift in sponsorship by many teams led to a loss of personality and identity. However, in some cases, the relationship between sponsor and team became so strong that it strengthened the team’s identity, like in the case of McLaren and Marlboro. The Marlboro brand’s sponsorship led to an iconic red-and-white livery that became inseparable from McLaren’s identity, especially during the dominant years with Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost.

Another example is the black-and-gold livery of Lotus, created under the John Player Special sponsorship. This combination became one of the most famous in Formula 1 history, and when the company returned to racing in 2012, they chose these colors, even though they didn’t align with the new sponsor’s identity.

Lastly, Red Bull has created a strong link between its drinks brand and its racing team through a consistent and recognizable livery, which has been reinforced by victories.

Ferrari’s approach has inspired others, with Mercedes choosing silver upon its return to Formula 1 in 2010. This decision was driven by the desire to associate with the historical success of the “Silver Arrows” from the 1950s. However, in 2020, Mercedes changed its livery to black to raise awareness about racism, putting a spotlight on a significant social issue.

Sponsorships have been a crucial source of revenue for teams, but they’ve come at the cost of losing a sense of identity, which has led to weaker connections with fans. However, when sponsorships are carefully managed, they can strengthen a team’s identity, through both an appealing livery and the values they represent.

The history of Formula 1 liveries shows us that a car’s color is more than just an aesthetic choice. Behind these decisions lie sponsorship deals, the creation of values, positive associations, commercial strategies, and even social messages. Each livery represents growth opportunities and different strategies, some of which emerged from a need to adapt to regulations but later became central to a team’s identity.