With the upcoming Formula 1 pre-testing this week, the 2024 cars will finally be able to hit the track in Bahrain from Feb. 20 to Feb. 23. After a long awaited three months and 10 car launches later, fans will finally be able to see the performance of the new cars for this season.
McLaren was the first team to unexpectedly reveal their livery on Jan. 16, but had their official car launch on Feb.14. The new MCL38 made its debut at the Silverstone Circuit, where drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri spent the day filming promotional videos with the car. The papaya and chrome car seemed to be a fan favorite among many fans. Compared to other cars, McLaren seemed to have a car that stood with the papaya color among a sea of black and gray.
The McLaren car was not the only one to stand out with its vibrant colors. The Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber had their car launch on Feb.5, where they unveiled their bright green colored C44 car. The main color is a black base with neon green colored accents. Just like the new name for the team, the car itself has caught the attention of many fans. On Twitter (X), many commented how the car resembled that it was painted with a highlighter. The car can be considered a head turner, but one thing for sure is Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber is determined to make itself known on the grid.
Kick Sauber was not the only team that had their car launch on Feb.5; one of the oldest teams on the grid, Williams Racing, had their launch in New York City at Puma’s NYC Flagship Store in Midtown Manhattan. Sticking to the ongoing use of more black than color that has surrounded the cars so far, the FW46 has more black and the blue accents are darker and were toned down compared to past years. The Williams team kept it traditional by keeping their Duracell battery shaped airbox from last season. Overall, the toned-down blue look does give the car a sleeker appearance, which is the perfect look for night races.
There was a lot to be said of the Alpine car launch on Feb.7. The Alpine F1 team had been teasing the fans by dropping hints about a potential pink camouflage livery for 2024 on their Twitter (X) account. Fans had a lot to comment on the social media platforms when the launch revealed a mostly black car with only the logo and
sponsorships to show for the blue and pink. Disappointment was a common thread among fans, and most of the reactions were posted on Twitter (X). Although the A524 livery is not what most fans expected, you can still expect the pink livery to be seen in eight out of 24 races this year.
Another team that is trying to make itself known this year is the Visa Cash App RB team. Following the sponsorship change, the team completely steered away from the all-white livery RB has had in the past. This year the team brought in a bright blue that resembles the olden days of Toro Rosso. The team will sport a blue base with white and chrome accents showcasing the logos and sponsorships. Meanwhile, drivers Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo will sport the all-white racing suit during the season.
For this year, Aston Martin decided to reinforce the green for their livery. On Feb.12, the team revealed an all green car with a hint of yellow accent lines. Compared to last year’s car, the green is more defined which will help it to stand out not only in the grid but also during night races.
Sporting a deeper cherry red and not the usual bright red, Ferrari had their car launch on Feb.13. Unlike last year’s car, the team strayed from the yellow and focused on the red. Ferrari will be one of the few cars that will not have a black base and instead will bring a pop of color to the 2024 F1 grid.
There is no sweeter gift to receive on Valentine’s Day then the gift of the new livery for the Mercedes W15. While the team kept with them by having an all black base, they decided to bring back the iconic designs of the silver arrows and the silver front wing. Car launches not only showcase the new livery for the season but also the improvements that have been made for the car’s overall performance. Team principal, Toto Wolff, hopes that the W15 will be a strong competitor against Red Bull this season.
Last, but certainly not least, was the reveal of the team that has aided Max Verstappen with a three-peat of World Drivers Championships: Oracle Red Bull Racing. The color scheme of the Red Bull car remains the same: a blue base with the red and yellow decorating the front wing of the car. Although, there was not much difference from last year’s car, one thing that's certain is that it is fast! Sergio Perez commented how this new concept of the car will be very aggressive on the track.
The liveries might be the most eye appealing factor of the year, but it is not the most important. What good will it do to have a beautiful car to showcase if the speed and performance are not up to par. Luckily, fans will be able to finally see the cars perform this week during the final testing before the beginning of the season.
Edited by: Kendall Merriett
Social Content Created by: Callista Carreiro
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