Mercedes has made a shock revelation ahead of the Miami Grand Prix with a nod to their winning heritage.
There is a level of notoriety associated with the Silver Arrows and their paintwork, which has been the same throughout much of their time in Formula 1 apart from a recent adjustment to feature more black.
The origins of silver lie within the year 1934, when the company decided that it was a mark of racing success after shedding its white paint off its metal bodywork to reveal its iconic silver colours.
Recently, when they decided to alter their livery to feature more black, it is believed that it helped to save them as much as 2kg – which can count for a lot of lap-time on-track.
Digging further into their past, before the Formula 1 championship officially began in 1950, it can be found that Mercedes hasn't always raced in silver.
This year marks the 100-year anniversary of the team winning one of the most iconic road races in motorsport – the Targa Florio.
Their livery that day was akin to their close rivals Ferrari – a bright red which stands out as completely different to anything seen before from the German manufacturer apart from on the F1 safety car.
It’s a nice reminder for the team who have endured a tough time so far in 2024, that they are serial winners and have every chance of returning to the top again one day.
100 years since these iconic scenes at the 1924 Targa Florio, one of the most iconic road races from motorsport’s past 📸
And a Mercedes win, in red no less ❤️
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) April 27, 2024