Difference between revisions of "List of international Formula One colors"
m |
|||
(10 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown) | |||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
− | + | {{X}} | |
{{Formula One}} | {{Formula One}} | ||
− | + | From the beginning of the 20th century until the late 1960s, before [[Formula One sponsorship liveries|sponsorship liveries]] came in use, vehicles competing in [[Formula One]], [[sports car racing]], [[touring car racing]] and other international [[auto racing]] competitions customarily [[paint]]ed their cars in '''racing colors''' (which sometimes resembled political [[national colors]]). The colors most likely have their origin in the national teams competing in the [[Gordon Bennett Cup in auto racing|Gordon Bennett Cup]], which was held annually in 1900-1905, and were definitely established in the [[Interwar period|1920s and 1930s era]] of [[Grand Prix motor racing]], when blue Bugatti and red Alfa Romeo dominated many races. | |
− | + | Due to the weight limit for GP cars introduced in 1934, German Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union teams did not apply the traditional white paint in order to save weight, and the bare sheets of metal gave rise to the term ''[[Silver Arrows]]''. When [[aluminium]] was replaced by fiberglass materials in the 1960s, some German teams (like Porsche and BMW) returned to white paint. Others German manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz and Audi used silver paint when they returned to international racing in the 1990s. | |
− | {| border= | + | In spring of 1968, [[Formula One sponsorship liveries|sponsorship liveries]], which already had been used in the United States for years, were allowed in international racing. [[Team Lotus]] was the first F1 team not only to paint their cars in a tobacco livery, but also to change the team name accordingly. The British Racing Green vanished soon from the cars of private teams, while the Rosso Corsa used by Italian manufacturers like Ferrari is in continuous use to the present day. |
− | |- | + | |
− | !Code | + | Although this color scheme was abandoned by the [[FIA]] for most racing disciplines in the 1970s, it is still informally used, especially by Italian, British and German [[automaker]]s and teams that want to emphasize their traditions. Often, sponsorship agreements respect this. Many [[concept car]]s follow the color scheme, and many amateur racers prefer them as well. |
+ | |||
+ | ==== Major competitors ==== | ||
+ | [[Image:Blitzen Benz racing car.jpg|thumb|German ''[[Blitzen Benz]]'' (1909)]] | ||
+ | [[Image:Bugatti Typ 35C Grand Prix Racer 1926.jpg|thumb|French [[Bugatti Type 35]]C (1926)]] | ||
+ | [[Image:Goodwood2007-010 Autounion & Mercedes Silberpfeile.jpg|thumb|German ''Silberpfeile'' (1930s)]] | ||
+ | [[Image:2006 SAG - F1 Honda RA272 1965 -01.JPG|thumb|Japanese [[Honda RA272]] (1965)]] | ||
+ | [[Image:Lotus 49-1.JPG|thumb|British [[Lotus 49]] (early 1968)]] | ||
+ | [[Image:Alfa Romeo 33 SC 12 Sovralimentata 1977 red vr TCE.jpg|thumb|Italian [[Alfa Romeo Tipo 33|Alfa Romeo 33]] (1977)]] | ||
+ | |||
+ | [[Image:McNish-ALMS-LRP-2006.jpg|thumb|German [[Audi R8 (race car)|Audi R8]] (2006)]] | ||
+ | |||
+ | {| border=1 cellspacing=3 cellpadding=4 style="float:center; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:800px; background:#505050; border-collapse:collapse; border:1px solid #999; font-size:83%; line-height:1.5; " summary="Infobox Automobile" | ||
+ | |- style="text-align:center; background:#505050;" | ||
+ | |- tr BGCOLOR=darkred | ||
+ | ![[List of international license plate codes|Code]] | ||
!Country | !Country | ||
!Body | !Body | ||
− | |||
− | |||
!Numbers | !Numbers | ||
+ | !Marques/Teams | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | rowspan=2| D || rowspan=2 | [[Germany]] || White || Red|| [[Benz]], [[Mercedes (car)|Mercedes]], [[BMW]], [[Porsche]] | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Silver (or bare metal (''[[Silver Arrows]]''))|| Red || [[Mercedes-Benz]], [[Auto Union]], [[Veritas (Automobile)|Veritas]], [[Borgward]], [[Eisenacher Motorenwerk|EMW]], [[Porsche]], [[Audi]] | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | ||F||[[France]]||Blue||White||[[Bugatti]], [[Talbot]], [[Matra]], [[Gordini]], [[Ligier]], [[Prost Grand Prix|Prost]] | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | ||GB||[[Great Britain]]||Green (''[[British racing green]]'')||White||[[Jaguar Racing|Jaguar]], [[Vanwall]], [[Cooper Car Company|Cooper]], [[Lotus Cars|Lotus]], [[Brabham]], [[BRM]], [[Bentley]], [[Aston Martin]] | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | ||I||[[Italy]]||Red (''[[Rosso corsa]]'') ||White||[[Alfa Romeo in motorsport|Alfa Romeo]], [[Maserati]], [[Lancia]], [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]], [[Abarth]], [[O.S.C.A.]], [[Officine Meccaniche]] | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | ||J||[[Japan]]||White with red "sun"||Black||[[Honda]], [[Nissan]], [[Toyota Motor Corporation|Toyota]] | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | rowspan=2 | USA || rowspan=2 | [[United States of America|USA]]||White, Blue lengthwise stripes ("''[[go faster stripes#Cunningham racing stripes|Cunningham racing stripe]]s''"), Blue underframe||Blue|| [[Briggs Cunningham|Cunningham]], [[Ford]], [[North American Racing Team|NART]], [[Carroll Shelby|Shelby]], [[Chaparral Cars|Chaparral]] | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | Blue, White lengthwise stripes, White underframe||White || [[All American Racers|AAR Eagle]], [[Ford]], [[Carroll Shelby|Shelby]], [[Scarab (constructor)|Scarab]] | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |} | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Alphabetic list==== | ||
+ | {| border=1 cellspacing=3 cellpadding=4 style="float:center; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:800px; background:#505050; border-collapse:collapse; border:1px solid #999; font-size:83%; line-height:1.5; " summary="Infobox Automobile" | ||
+ | |- style="text-align:center; background:#505050;" | ||
+ | |- tr BGCOLOR=darkred | ||
+ | ![[List of international license plate codes|Code]]!!width=120px|Country!!Body!!Bonnet!!Other Colors!!Numbers!!Illustrated example | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |A|| {{flagiconAUT}} ||colspan=2|Blue|| ||Black on white||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color A.png|50px]] | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | || | + | |ARG|| {{flagiconARG}} ||Blue||Yellow||Chassis: Black||Red on white||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color ARG.png|50px]] |
|- | |- | ||
− | || | + | |AUS|| {{flagiconAUS}} ||Green||Gold||Blue|| ||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color AUS.png|50px]] |
|- | |- | ||
− | + | |B|| {{flagiconBEL}} ||colspan=2|Yellow|| ||Black||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color B.png|50px]] | |
|- | |- | ||
− | + | |BR|| {{flagiconBRA}} ||colspan=2|Pale yellow||Chassis/Wheels: Green||Black||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color BR.png|50px]] | |
|- | |- | ||
− | + | |BUL|| {{flagiconBUL}} ||Green||White|| ||Red on white||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color BUL.png|50px]] | |
|- | |- | ||
− | + | |C|| {{flagiconCUB}} ||Yellow||Black|| ||Black on white||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color C.png|50px]] | |
|- | |- | ||
− | + | |CDN|| {{flagiconCAN}} ||colspan=2|Traditional colors are white and green parallel stripes ||After the Canadian flag was changed in 1965 Red with wide lengthwise white stripes became popular||Black||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color CDN.png|50px]] | |
|- | |- | ||
− | + | |CH|| {{flagiconSUI}} ||Red||White|| ||Black||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color CH.png|50px]] | |
|- | |- | ||
− | || | + | |CS|| {{flagiconCzechoslovakia}} ||White||Blue/white||Underframe: Red||Blue||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color CS.png|50px]] |
|- | |- | ||
− | + | |D|| {{flagiconGER}} ||colspan=2|White||bare metal ([[aluminium]], "[[Silver Arrows]]")||Red||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color D.png|50px]] | |
|- | |- | ||
− | + | |DK|| {{flagiconDEN}} ||colspan=2|Silver-grey||National flag as a lengthwise stripe on bonnet||Red on white||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color DK.png|50px]] | |
|- | |- | ||
− | + | |E|| {{flagiconESP}} ||Red||Yellow||Chassis/Springs: Red||Black on yellow or white on red||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color E.png|50px]] | |
|- | |- | ||
− | + | |ET|| {{flagiconEGY}} ||colspan=2|Pale violet|| ||Red on white||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color ET.png|50px]] | |
|- | |- | ||
− | + | |F|| {{flagiconFRA}} ||colspan=2|Blue|| ||White||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color F.png|50px]] | |
|- | |- | ||
− | + | |FIN|| {{flagiconFIN}} ||colspan=2|White||Two blue stripes on bonnet shaping a Latin cross||Black on white||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color FIN.png|50px]] | |
|- | |- | ||
− | + | |GB|| {{flagiconGBR}} ||colspan=2|Green||Scottish entrant [[Rob Walker]] used dark blue with a white noseband and [[Ecurie Ecosse]] also used dark blue; the [[Arrol Johnston]] team pre-World War 1 used navy tartan||White||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color GB.png|50px]] | |
|- | |- | ||
− | + | |GR|| {{flagiconGRE}} ||colspan=2|Pale Blue||Two white lengthwise stripes on bonnet||Black on white||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color GR.png|50px]] | |
|- | |- | ||
− | + | |H|| {{flagiconHUN}} ||Front: White<br >Rear: Green||Red|| ||Black||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color H.png|50px]] | |
|- | |- | ||
− | + | |HJK|| {{flagiconJOR}} ||colspan=2|Brown|| ||Black on white||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color HJK.png|50px]] | |
|- | |- | ||
− | || | + | |IND|| {{flagiconIND}} ||colspan=2|Sky blue||sky blue||||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color F.png|50px]] |
|- | |- | ||
− | || | + | |I|| {{flagiconITA}} ||colspan=2|Red|| ||White||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color I.png|50px]] |
|- | |- | ||
− | || | + | |IRL|| {{flagiconIRL}} ||colspan=2|Green||Horizontal band of orange all around||White||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color IRL.png|50px]] |
|- | |- | ||
− | || | + | |J|| {{flagiconJPN}} ||colspan=2|Ivory White||Red disk on bonnet||White on black||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color J.png|50px]] |
|- | |- | ||
− | || | + | |L|| {{flagiconLUX}} ||colspan=3|Tricolor lengthwise stripe (red/white/blue) from front to rear||Black on white||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color L.png|50px]] |
|- | |- | ||
− | || | + | |MAS|| {{flagiconMAS}} ||colspan=2|Yellow||White||Black on white/Black||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color MAS.png|50px]] |
|- | |- | ||
− | || | + | |MC|| {{flagiconMON}} ||colspan=2|White||Red lateral stripe around car||Black on white||align=center| |
|- | |- | ||
− | || | + | |MEX|| {{flagiconMEX}} ||colspan=2|Gold||Blue cross-stripe on bonnet||Red on white||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color MEX.png|50px]] |
|- | |- | ||
− | || | + | |NL|| {{flagiconNED}} ||colspan=2|Orange|| ||White||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color NL.png|50px]] |
|- | |- | ||
− | || | + | |NZ|| {{flagiconNZL}} ||colspan=2| Green and silver||Black and silver|| ||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color NZ.png|50px]] |
|- | |- | ||
− | || | + | |P|| {{flagiconPOR}} ||colspan=2|Red||Underframe: White||White||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color P.png|50px]] |
|- | |- | ||
− | || | + | |PL|| {{flagiconPOL}} ||colspan=2|White||Underframe: Red||Red on white||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color PL.png|50px]] |
|- | |- | ||
− | || | + | |RCH|| {{flagiconCHI}} ||Red||Blue||Underframe: White||Blue/red or red on white||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color RCH.png|50px]] |
|- | |- | ||
− | || | + | |S|| {{flagiconSWE}} ||colspan=3|Blue bottom, yellow top, three cross bands of blue on top of bonnet||White||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color S.png|50px]] |
|- | |- | ||
− | || | + | |T|| {{flagiconTHA}} ||colspan=2|Pale blue with yellow horizontal band around body and bonnet||Wheels: Pale yellow||White on blue||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color T.png|50px]] |
|- | |- | ||
− | || | + | |U|| {{flagiconURU}} ||colspan=3|Pale blue with large red band around the lower part of bonnet||White on black||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color U.png|50px]] |
+ | |- | ||
+ | |USA|| {{flagiconUSA}} ||colspan=2|White with blue lengthwise stripes||Underframe: Blue||Blue on white||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color USA.png|50px]] | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | |ZA|| {{flagiconRSA}} ||Gold||Green|| ||Black on yellow||align=center|[[Image:Auto racing color ZA.png|50px]] | ||
|} | |} | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ==See also== | ||
+ | *[[go-faster stripes]] on notes about US racing color. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ==External links== | ||
+ | *[http://www.miata.net/misc/racecolor.html 1960 Road & Track article] | ||
+ | *[http://www.kildare.ie/heritage/Gordon-Bennett-Race/Leinster-Leader-11-04-1903-2.asp 1903 Leinster Leader article] | ||
+ | *[http://www.motorsportmemorial.org/misc/colours.php?db=ct Motorsport Memorial website - page about country automotive abbreviations and racing colours] | ||
+ | |||
+ | [[Category:Colors]] | ||
+ | [[Category:National symbols|Colors]] | ||
+ | [[Category:Automobile-related lists|Auto racing colors]] | ||
+ | [[Category:Formula One related lists|International colors]] |
Latest revision as of 12:14, 8 October 2009
From the beginning of the 20th century until the late 1960s, before sponsorship liveries came in use, vehicles competing in Formula One, sports car racing, touring car racing and other international auto racing competitions customarily painted their cars in racing colors (which sometimes resembled political national colors). The colors most likely have their origin in the national teams competing in the Gordon Bennett Cup, which was held annually in 1900-1905, and were definitely established in the 1920s and 1930s era of Grand Prix motor racing, when blue Bugatti and red Alfa Romeo dominated many races.
Due to the weight limit for GP cars introduced in 1934, German Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union teams did not apply the traditional white paint in order to save weight, and the bare sheets of metal gave rise to the term Silver Arrows. When aluminium was replaced by fiberglass materials in the 1960s, some German teams (like Porsche and BMW) returned to white paint. Others German manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz and Audi used silver paint when they returned to international racing in the 1990s.
In spring of 1968, sponsorship liveries, which already had been used in the United States for years, were allowed in international racing. Team Lotus was the first F1 team not only to paint their cars in a tobacco livery, but also to change the team name accordingly. The British Racing Green vanished soon from the cars of private teams, while the Rosso Corsa used by Italian manufacturers like Ferrari is in continuous use to the present day.
Although this color scheme was abandoned by the FIA for most racing disciplines in the 1970s, it is still informally used, especially by Italian, British and German automakers and teams that want to emphasize their traditions. Often, sponsorship agreements respect this. Many concept cars follow the color scheme, and many amateur racers prefer them as well.
Major competitors
Code | Country | Body | Numbers | Marques/Teams |
---|---|---|---|---|
D | Germany | White | Red | Benz, Mercedes, BMW, Porsche |
Silver (or bare metal (Silver Arrows)) | Red | Mercedes-Benz, Auto Union, Veritas, Borgward, EMW, Porsche, Audi | ||
F | France | Blue | White | Bugatti, Talbot, Matra, Gordini, Ligier, Prost |
GB | Great Britain | Green (British racing green) | White | Jaguar, Vanwall, Cooper, Lotus, Brabham, BRM, Bentley, Aston Martin |
I | Italy | Red (Rosso corsa) | White | Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Lancia, Ferrari, Abarth, O.S.C.A., Officine Meccaniche |
J | Japan | White with red "sun" | Black | Honda, Nissan, Toyota |
USA | USA | White, Blue lengthwise stripes ("Cunningham racing stripes"), Blue underframe | Blue | Cunningham, Ford, NART, Shelby, Chaparral |
Blue, White lengthwise stripes, White underframe | White | AAR Eagle, Ford, Shelby, Scarab |
Alphabetic list
Code | Country | Body | Bonnet | Other Colors | Numbers | Illustrated example |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A | Blue | Black on white | ||||
ARG | Blue | Yellow | Chassis: Black | Red on white | ||
AUS | Green | Gold | Blue | |||
B | Yellow | Black | ||||
BR | Pale yellow | Chassis/Wheels: Green | Black | |||
BUL | Green | White | Red on white | |||
C | Yellow | Black | Black on white | |||
CDN | Traditional colors are white and green parallel stripes | After the Canadian flag was changed in 1965 Red with wide lengthwise white stripes became popular | Black | |||
CH | Red | White | Black | |||
CS | White | Blue/white | Underframe: Red | Blue | ||
D | White | bare metal (aluminium, "Silver Arrows") | Red | |||
DK | Silver-grey | National flag as a lengthwise stripe on bonnet | Red on white | |||
E | Red | Yellow | Chassis/Springs: Red | Black on yellow or white on red | ||
ET | Pale violet | Red on white | ||||
F | Blue | White | ||||
FIN | White | Two blue stripes on bonnet shaping a Latin cross | Black on white | |||
GB | Green | Scottish entrant Rob Walker used dark blue with a white noseband and Ecurie Ecosse also used dark blue; the Arrol Johnston team pre-World War 1 used navy tartan | White | |||
GR | Pale Blue | Two white lengthwise stripes on bonnet | Black on white | |||
H | Front: White Rear: Green |
Red | Black | |||
HJK | Brown | Black on white | ||||
IND | Sky blue | sky blue | ||||
I | Red | White | ||||
IRL | Green | Horizontal band of orange all around | White | |||
J | Ivory White | Red disk on bonnet | White on black | |||
L | Tricolor lengthwise stripe (red/white/blue) from front to rear | Black on white | ||||
MAS | Yellow | White | Black on white/Black | |||
MC | White | Red lateral stripe around car | Black on white | |||
MEX | Gold | Blue cross-stripe on bonnet | Red on white | |||
NL | Orange | White | ||||
NZ | Green and silver | Black and silver | ||||
P | Red | Underframe: White | White | |||
PL | White | Underframe: Red | Red on white | |||
RCH | Red | Blue | Underframe: White | Blue/red or red on white | ||
S | Blue bottom, yellow top, three cross bands of blue on top of bonnet | White | ||||
T | Pale blue with yellow horizontal band around body and bonnet | Wheels: Pale yellow | White on blue | |||
U | Pale blue with large red band around the lower part of bonnet | White on black | ||||
USA | White with blue lengthwise stripes | Underframe: Blue | Blue on white | |||
ZA | Gold | Green | Black on yellow |
See also
- go-faster stripes on notes about US racing color.