It’s finally 2023, and for Formula 1 (F1), that means new drivers, new challenges and of course, new paint schemes. In F1, paint schemes are more commonly referred to as liveries. There is definitely no need to refer to their fancy name every time, paint schemes and liveries are the exact same thing.
Between the end of the season in November and early February, teams spend countless hours refining and redesigning their cars for the new season. Each team’s car is revealed before pre-season testing, which took place Feb. 23-25. Launches are often surrounded with lots of fanfare, with many teams hosting live streams to reveal their newest contender or even having celebrities and influencers present at the launches. No matter how teams elect to reveal their cars, fans flock to social media to share their thoughts, myself included. Here is my list of 2023 liveries ranked from worst to best.
10. Same Old Red Bull
I’m going to cut right to the chase, this is the same car from last season and almost every season before that. Red Bull Racing lacks creativity in its livery designs. While having the same paint scheme every year allows the team to stay easily recognizable, they can find a way to switch it up somehow. They do get bonus points for creating a contest for fans to design a livery for each U.S. race they will run this season. Not only is it a creative marketing strategy, but it also increases fan engagement. I may not like the Red Bull team at all, but they get kudos for this one.
9. Going Green
Just like Red Bull Racing, Aston Martin is running a nearly identical paint scheme from last season. The team has made noticeable changes to the body of the car, which helps it differ from its predecessor, but it is still the same. The team has darkened the color green they use on the car, which I think is a great choice. I love the way the black and highlighter-yellow accents compliment the dark green body. One trend you are going to see across each team’s livery is the addition of black accents (something I’m a huge fan of). There’s not much to complain about with this one.
8. We’re Driving a Search Engine
McLaren has made significant changes to its paint schemes over the past two seasons, most notably in its excessive use of Google and Android advertising on its cars. The iconic papaya orange that McLaren is known for is what is keeping their cars recognizable on track. The grey accents they use on the car clash with the orange and blue that work surprisingly well together throughout the scheme. The car has Google Chrome wheels. I think that was my final straw. McLaren downgraded from last year’s livery, I just hope they’ve made progress in the car’s performance.
7. Hey, VF23!
Can you tell I don’t like repeat liveries yet? Haas may have switched up the color blocking on this season’s car, the VF23, and added a lot more black to their livery, but it is still very similar to the paint scheme they ran last season. I am very happy to see teams embracing the color black and using it to make their cars look tougher and more competitive. It is a major design upgrade, but Haas could have done better here, especially with the onboarding of two new sponsors, MoneyGram and Chipotle. Who wouldn’t love to see a Chipotle paint scheme on the grid?
6. Seeing Red?
Alpha Tauri decided to switch it up this season and add a few more colorful accents to its car. I’m sad to say I do not like it at all. The red accents clash with the navy blue that is present nearly everywhere on the car. The red just looks weird to me. As much as I hate teams reusing paint schemes, I would have loved for Alpha Tauri to have stuck with its simple white and navy-blue livery. But other than that, I think it is a good-looking race car.
5. Pretty in Pink
Alpine’s use of blue and pink is one of my favorite color combinations on the grid. Alpine is another team copying and pasting their livery from last season, but the fun twist of a special livery has made me overlook the similarities between last season’s and this season’s car, for now. In Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Australia, the Alpine team will be racing an all-pink livery instead of its traditional pink and blue combo, which will be used at all remaining races in the season. Personally, I think the all-pink car should be run all season, but the exclusivity of the paint scheme is what makes it even more fun to watch.
4. Nothing Beats Ferrari Red
Just like the heading says, nothing beats Ferrari red. Ferrari has run an all-red paint scheme for nearly the entire time it has been in F1, which is close to 80 years. The car has the same body style as last year, which is concerning considering the plethora of issues the team had last season. Nevertheless, you can’t dictate performance based on looks so I remain hopeful. The trend of black accents continues here too, and I love the simplicity of the paint scheme.
3. Charged Up
Who would’ve thought Williams Racing would be in my top three? Definitely not me. The chrome blue really steals the show. The darker blue accents and the hint of red really pull the car together. It’s just another simple livery that I absolutely love. Oh, and don’t forget to take a look above the driver’s seat and see the Duracell battery that will be riding along all season. This is a genius way of incorporating your sponsor into your car. Well done Williams, I’m rooting for you!
2. Mean Lean Racing Machine
This car looks mean, it looks like a race winner. If I wasn’t a diehard Mercedes fan, this car would be No. 1 on my list. Alfa Romeo’s decision to remove the white accents from the car was the best decision the team could have made. The dark red and black complement each other so well, and don’t even get me started on the newly designed fire suits for the drivers. This is a big win for Alfa Romeo, and I’m excited to see them compete this season.
1. Back to Black
The “prettiest car on the grid” award goes to Mercedes. I can’t put into words how excited I am that they’ve brought back the all-black car. The reveal of the silver livery last season was shocking, to say the least, and it performed so poorly that I would love to forget about it entirely. Never speak of the W13 again. The W14, however, is a beautiful matte black livery with colorful accents that make the car stand out. Nothing is prettier than an all-black livery, and I’m so happy Mercedes has gone back to its roots and given us a pretty car that will, hopefully, win a championship.
That’s all of the liveries! Do you like one more than another? You can watch all of these cars in Bahrain as they kick off the 2023 season on March 5, don’t miss it!
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