Special edition liveries this weekend
There are SIX one-off liveries that will be run at the US Grand Prix. Let’s go through and rate them all…
Haas: Stars ‘n’ stripes
Haas F1 Team special livery, United States Grand Prix
Photo by: Haas F1 Team
Haas likes to lean into its American-ness in these races, and it’s come up with another star-spangled machine for Austin. It’s effectively the standard race livery but with some US-ified details that sort of blend in – although it’s a little bit busy. It’s also hard to tell if the blue bits are actually blue! 5/10.
Racing Bulls: Tortoiseshell terror
Racing Bulls Team US GP special livery
Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool
I don’t really understand the significance of a tortoiseshell pattern and the US Grand Prix. What I do understand is this: it could have been really cool, but the random patches of white rather draw attention to the idea that this went through a gazillion stages of marketing emails and some sponsors probably preferred to keep their logos on a white background. As such, it’s just a bit of a mess. If it was all tortoiseshell? 8/10. Currently? 4/10.
McLaren: A sliver of silver
McLaren US GP special livery
Photo by: McLaren
Because Google wants to advertise its Gemini AI software, McLaren has reintroduced silver into its design – something that it seems to be doing with regularity of late. It looks like a matte silver finish, which I don’t mind, but it’s a bit middle-of-the-road. 5/10.
Williams: 2000s is retro now?
Williams FW47 US GP special livery
Photo by: Peter Fox / Getty Images
With the help of former driver Juan Pablo Montoya, Williams revealed a throwback to its time as a BMW works outfit, with a replication of the livery from its 2002 FW24. Why ’02? No clue. But it hits the nostalgia for that era of F1 just so, throwing white into the equation and lining it with silver piping – as was during the 2000-2005 BMW days. 8/10.
Aston Martin: Tri so hard, but got so far
Aston Martin US GP livery
Photo by: Aston Martin Racing
It’s the same but with little dark green triangles. The Aramco logo is yellow. That’s kinda it. 4/10.
Alpine: Now with yellow!
Alpine A525 US GP special livery
Photo by: Alpine
When Franco Colapinto joined Williams last year, the Mercado Libre special edition livery at least borrowed a bit from the Williams back catalogue, as the splash of yellow harkened back to the days of ICI and Camel occupying the engine cover. Alpine has been given some money to add more yellow onto the car. It’s done that. It now looks like a cross between a 1992 Brabham and a 1993 Larrousse. Exalted company. 2/10.
