McLaren has revealed their new livery for their cars. Earlier this week, the team announced they were losing the chrome effect bodywork in favour of a “dynamic, predatory, graphite-grey colouration,” expected to produce better TV images for both daytime races and those held under floodlights. In addition, the visibility of McLaren partner names is improved.
This 2010 livery looked remarkably similar, but the HRT ditched it for 2011.
Prior to the start of this year, many McLaren fans were hoping for a return to the red and white style livery that adorned the cars during the previous Marlborough-Honda-McLaren partnership.
Photshop style renders never give the true impression of how the cars will look on track, however, this is a very dark look – though the red/orange fluorescent flashes have been extended.
Is the plan to disappear into the background ?
(once the paint wears off the tyres…)
Black. Ok.
Now we just have to wait for a reprimand for one of the drivers… “It’s because it’s black.”
I think it looks beautiful!
Black Knight!
With blunt sword….
…and no shield or armour 😉
But time will come!
Admittedly a slightly different ‘knight’, but the first verse of Black Sabbath’s meisterwerk starts:
“Black night is not right,
I don’t feel so bright,
I don’t care to sit tight…..”
Maybe relevant, probably not 🙂
What a monumental tune that is!
Have to say though, that’s a Deep Purple song, isn’t it?
Yes.
Absolutely, it is Can’t think why I typed that, other than that I was stone cold sober at the time – never a good state of mind, particularly when listening to 70’s Rock Gods 🙂
i like it too
Thoughts on the car….
Slightly better than previous. much more identity to McLaren – with the ticks on the sidepods etc, and a bit less West & Mercedes, so somewhat of a success in that sense
Thoughts on the internets bleatings….
Why do people think that both McLaren and Honda would actively open themselves up to a huge penalty from the European Comission or whoever and return to the red & white livery of Marlboro tobacco sponsorship heritage, on the basis of trying to keep som jocks behind a keyboard and screen happy?
And before anyone is smart enough to suggest the JPS branding of Lotus, their cars are not black and gold, they are black and sort-of-beige-to-make-them-look-gold…. in my mind, so as to be different enough and avoid any raised eyebrows
Especially cuz that marlboro money goed to Ferrari, it would be insane to put their colors on that car…
I agree, that’s why I thought it was so strange when the initial article came out saying that it would be close to this scheme.
The black & beige isn’t to make them different to the JPS – the JPS cars were *also* black & beige. Gold just doesn’t show up well in photos and on TV. That was the reason then and I’m pretty sure it’s the reason now, as the first 2011 (Enstone) Lotuses were black & gold.
[/lotusgeek]
Same for the jordans who where yellow instead of the Benson and hedges gold
I never knew Marlboro had the monopoly on the colours red and white… McLaren could run white for Honda’s Japanese racing colours, and mix it with this ‘Dayglo Red’ they seem to think is their own colour.. and add in some black if they really want to differentiate it/keep a link to the current livery.
Philip Morris sponsor Ferrari.. but there’s nothing smoky about it. I think they bought the car space and sell that on to sponsors? No cigs that they are trying to associate with that car now..
Plus, if the EU looks at F1, it’ll probably be at the power structure rather than some livery… but if that gets them acting sooner, then it’s a good thing!
race cars are supposed to be colorful. this is so boring and stupid.
It looks less like the F-Indias, which is good. Also a bit dull.
Should look great when it catches fire though…
LOL 😉
If I can now spot a McLaren from a Force India, that shall make me happy enough…
Meh.
The look smacks a bit of the matt black vinyl wrap thing that was cool for about five minutes a while back. Maybe better in rl.
Uninspired, but preferable to Sauber’s Borat mankini 🙂
Looks more gray, less black in the brighter lights in Honda’s twitter pics.
https://twitter.com/VortexMotio/status/595934988870246401
The spread of colour by the driver’s feet…. Questionable.
Lipstick on pig dont make it any more beautiful.The problem with Macca is the that uggly rudimentary simplistic long angular nose .It just looks like a budget F1 car .thats why it resemble the Maursia and the Force india of old
……. wow
Bland. I expected more, seems this is just to help them hide on track.
With the season they are having and are going to have, I think that is exactly what they are aiming for.
Then why change it and draw attention to themselves with the flier and the Senna hologram?
Definitely an improvement over the previous iteration. Reminded me of a darker shade of last years Saubers at first glance. Yet I can help but imagine all the black being replaced by a peal white colour. Would be an incredible sight then. Question for the more technically gifted patrons here though. Wouldn’t the overall darker colour contribute to more heat within the car? Especially during warmer races? And wouldn’t the cooling efficiency of the car be compromised a bit as well?
Looks ok from the top view, the rest of the shots still make it look boring. McLaren are my team, but like everything else they have done this year, this livery is just simply underwhelming. Why make a song and dance about it, when its quite a subtle change really.
McLaren must keep a low profile until Honda get their engine in order. The previous livery was their testing livery, and pre-season testing just ended for McLaren after the 4th race in Bahrain. For their 1st race, in Spain, McLaren finally switches to a slightly higher-profile, but still sufficiently low-profile, until they get back to battling for podiums. Makes sense to me…
Better than the original – but agree with the above posts re it would be nice if it was primarily white instead of black/whatever shade of grey (would work with the heritage of both Macca and Honda).
But the bigger question is for Ron: so what’s the commercial reason for the change, eh? Isn’t that what you said before as being the only reason the livery would change this season???
He said if there was to be a big livery change – like lime green – there would be a commercial reason behind it.
So very boring!
The interim orange test car from 2006 (I think – Paffet, Kimi, JPM, DLR year?) was amazing.
Would love to see liveries change weekly/on special occasions like the Red Bulls often used to do (when they were fun), or see individual ones like BAR used to.
How remarkably dull. I’m sure it would look cooler to everyone if it won races…
Hardly any difference apart from a little more red. Why not change to a more radical livery design or perhaps akin to the Mclaren Honda design of old without the Marlborough signs.
Typo correction meant the cigarettes Marlboro
Considering how boring the new livery is, one can only hope that they spent more time working on improving the chassis/engine combo than on the color scheme. Just sayin’ 🙂
I’ll reserve my judgement until the weekend. It’s sure to spend some time parked up beside the track – then we can get a better look at the paintjob.
Hideous. Aren’t there any Art Colleges McLaren could delegate this job to?