Before the current Formula 1 season kicked off, there was a lot of buzz about the liveries – the cars were noticeably lacking in color. Many teams, in a bid to save weight, opted for a lot of bare carbon. While not a feast for the eyes, the organization also believes it’s detrimental to the sport. In the future, the FIA and FOM want the cars to be more distinguishable.
Creating rules to enforce a more colorful grid is not an overnight task. “It’s easier said than done,” FIA chief Nikolas Tombazis has stated. “At the moment, many cars are too black, as teams want to save the weight of paint. Another issue is that some color schemes look too similar.”
So, it’s not just about tackling all-black liveries – Formula 1 would ideally like each team to use a unique color to avoid confusion. For instance, the color schemes of Williams and Visa RB are both bright blue. It’s beautiful to see, but hard to distinguish when they’re racing past at the same time. Rules regarding liveries are naturally a slippery slope – the organization doesn’t want to limit the creativity of the teams.
Distinguishing Between Teams and Drivers
“We are still in discussion with the teams and we will also discuss this during the next Formula 1 meeting,” continued Tombazis. “There needs to be some sort of arrangement where teams can consult with each other in the preseason. Formula 1 should not interfere with the color of the cars, but the teams must be distinguishable.”
Identifying Individual Drivers
The FIA and FOM also want the different drivers to be more easily recognizable. According to Tombazis, this used to be very easy, as most drivers used the same helmet throughout their career. Nowadays, they have much more freedom in choosing unique colors and designs, sometimes even per race weekend. “We need to ensure that spectators can immediately see whether it’s Russell or Hamilton passing by,” Tombazis concluded.
In 2023, Mercedes and Ferrari experimented with a possible solution. The cars of the different drivers were equipped with unique pinstripes. Last year, Sainz and Leclerc respectively received yellow and white details on their SF-23, while Hamilton and Russell had to make do with yellow and blue elements.
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