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Autosport have exclusively revealed the new Brawn GP BGP 001. Jenson Button was at Silverstone today following the announcement at midnight that Honda had transferred the team to Ross Brawn, ensuring its survival. Powered by a Mercedes-Benz engine, Button completed a few tours of the Northamptonshire circuit to run systems checks and to make sure the car actually works as it should. It is the first running the team has done in 2009. Continue Reading

Although among the last of the cars to be launched, Force India’s 2009 challenger, the VJM02, was given a shakedown at Silverstone earlier in the week. Today, photographs of the short test as well as some studio images that show the squad’s new livery have been spreading around the Internet. It is currently unclear as to whether or not this was intentional, as the team were supposed to be revealing the car tomorrow just prior to the group test at Jerez. Continue Reading

Although it has been leaked twice already, Williams finally unveiled their 2009 livery at a media function held within the team’s factory in Oxfordshire a couple of days ago. The final version of the livery is quite different to what we have seen previously, the blue having been lightened a little. The car also featured horns sprouting up the sides of the air intake, named skate fins by the team. The idea behind the new part is to help channel air towards the rear wing. There was talk of how these could be allowed given the new regulations prohibiting such “flip-ups” and “winglets”. However, as they unlikely produce any downforce, one can presume they are allowed. Continue Reading

It would seem as though Allianz, sponsor of the Williams team, have posted photos of the new livery that will adorn the FW31 car this season. On their Formula One site, they have put up nine images taken at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve near Portimão in Portugal. The photographs depict a style not too far removed from Williams’s recent liveries, using blue and white as the base colours. The livery looks fantastic, although why the team do not just use their much loved testing livery is beyond me. Continue Reading

Before Honda owned the team they just about still do, the squad were owned by BAT and were called BAR. The cigarette company purchased the team from Ken Tyrrell, who himself had been a constructor in Formula One from 1970, famously winning the driver’s title with Jackie Stewart on two occasions and the constructors once. Although Tyrrell’s success was never to be repeated with the future owners, Honda did manage a race win in 2006, the squad’s only real triumph since 1999. Continue Reading

Given the popularity of the Toyota Livery Development post from Thursday last week, and also given that Sidepodcast have made a request, here’s a quick run down of Renault’s liveries over the years. Of course, the French marque have set themselves a standard just as Toyota have, although Renault are clearly not afraid to experiment with their choice of colours, which can be clearly seen with the 2009 livery unveiled earlier today. Let’s just say, the days of the blue and yellow were much kinder to my eyes… Continue Reading

Toyota’s livery is often the centre of many jokes in the media, primarily the blogs and offbeat sites, but also occasionally in the mainstream as well. In the eyes of the motor company’s executives, it is almost certainly a well-sculptured brand identity exercise. But to those who have to watch the cars pound around the circuit year after year, the red and white can get a little tedious. And just to prove the point, let’s take a look at all nine Toyota Formula One cars… Continue Reading

After running with some celebratory liveries during the testing season, Williams today finally unveiled their finished design which will see the team through the 2008 season. In recent years the livery has reverted to a retro-blue look and has looked quite pleasing to the eye. Well, in my eyes anyway. And this year’s attempt looks to be very nice, reducing the white and concentrating on the dark blue. Hamleys, the London-based toy store, also announced today they have extended their sponsorship deal with the team. They joined the squad in 2004. Continue Reading

Honda have unveiled their 2007 contender – named the RA107 – in Spain at the popular winter testing track Circuit de Catalunya. Although the teams new livery will not be ready for another month, the new car was dressed in the teams testing colour of black. Finishing in an improved 4th place in the 2006 season, Honda concentrated on developing the car further in the hope that both drivers can win in 2007 – something Jenson Button managed once last year at Hungary. Continue Reading

One could be forgiven for thinking that now tobacco sponsorship has finally left Formula One, many cars would be adjusting their liveries to suit newly found sponsors, and move away from the previous branding. And most teams are doing just this. Renault are keeping tight-lipped about their 2007 livery, and recent photos of the team shaking their 2007 car down at Silverstone clearly show a move away from Mild Seven blue. Honda are another team that are expected to drastically change their colours. Again, keeping schtum about the whole thing, Honda could be going green, so the rumours say. Continue Reading