German Grand Prix – Mercedes AMG has revealed the special one-off commemorative livery they will run for this weekend’s race at Hockenheim.
The Mercedes AMG Formula 1 team are running a one-off special livery this weekend, marking 125 years of both motorsport and their own participation in motorsport. On the date of the 11nd of July 1894, the very first officially recognised motor race was held between the French cities of Paris and Rouen. Mercedes, in the form of Daimler designs with Panhard and Karl Benz’s own entry, trace their heritage in motorsport back to that race.
As a result, this weekend’s race will see the W10s of both Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas kitted out with a new one-off livery. The front wing and noses will be painted while, as Mercedes race cars were in the early 1900s. Back then, cars were often painted by colour according to their heritage: British cars were green, Italian cars red and so on. German cars were white.
The white nose and front wing will also run retro earlier design versions of the Mercedes logo, as well as sponsors Pirelli, Petronas and Tommy Hilfiger. They will also continue to run Niki Lauda’s signature in memory of the former World Champion’s passing back in May.
Starting with the barge boards, the car changes from white to silver, as the origin of the ‘Silver Arrows’ moniker is explained by Mercedes: “In 1934, the Mercedes-Benz W 25 competed in the 750 kg formula; however, legend has it that it was slightly too heavy before the race, so the team scraped away the white paint to save weight, exposing the metallic bodywork underneath it.”
Once you reach the rear of the car, all the retro effects are faded out, with the full 2019 livery running on the engine cover and rear wing.
Aside from the car, the team’s garages and hospitality units liveries have also been made over with historic memorabilia and designs from earlier eras.
