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Why are So Many Formula 1 Cars Black This Year?

Formula 1 testing starts today, and after weeks of revealing the color, one question stands out: Why are so many cars black this year? As it turns out, it’s not that designers are going through a collective gothic phase. Instead, teams dump paint to help save weight.

The new regulations are forcing Formula One teams to put the cars on a diet

In 2022, a raft of new regulations has changed both the requirements for building new cars. Teams seem to have a bit of trouble getting things right at first. However, with the cars being developed throughout the 2022 season, many teams have struggled to meet the stringent weight requirement of 798 kg (1,759 lb).

powerful halo, and even large wheels have contributed to the weight of Formula 1 cars. Meanwhile, Pat Symonds, F1’s chief technical officer, indicated to MotorSport magazine that reducing the car’s size and weight is the goal of the sanctioning body.

It would be difficult to do so without compromising safety or radically changing the structure of the hybrid power unit – two things that have been feathers in F1’s cap in recent years.

McLaren 2022 F1 Car | McLaren F1
The 2023 McLaren Formula 1 car adds even more black
McLaren 2023 Formula 1 Car Adds More Black | McLaren F1

Several teams started shedding paint last year

While the dark liver attack may seem like a new trend, teams are already starting to strip the paint off their cars in 2022. As early as March of 2022, Green noted that removing the paint helped save 350 grams. As it turns out, that initial bit of weight saving proved to be an inspiration for the rest of the grid, with some teams shaving as much as 6kg in the process.

Williams followed suit immediately, with the former wondering aloud if he could take all the paint off his rival in 2022. Williams particularly struggled with pace in 2022, and shedding some weight helped the team improve performance, even if the gains were marginal.

The new year brought new opportunities – and more black Formula 1 cars

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Ford's entry into Formula 1 is about more than just racing

With weight at the forefront of many decisions, almost every 2023 Formula 1 car is more black in its color scheme than in years past. Even the Ferrari, legendary because of its all-red color scheme, has large blocks of black on the nose and side panels, as well as all-black front and rear wings.

It is worth noting that the Italian outfit uses matte paint for its cars, and since 2021. The switch from glossy to glossy removes a layer of paint from cars, saving about 3 kg of weight. And Ferrari isn’t the only team using this tactic to preserve color while saving weight – Red Bull cars have had matte paint for three seasons now.

Meanwhile, teams like Haas and especially Mercedes have gone to an almost all-black look for 2023. Even McLaren, known for its bright orange and blue combination in other series, has added bare carbon swathes to its new F1 car.

Whatever your feelings on the darker look of the F1 grid, it’s safe to say that black Formula 1 cars may be here to stay.

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