86 replies to this topic

[Mohican]

Just started another thread on Martini racing, when the flip side occurred to me:

the worst-looking colour scheme ever ?

I nominate the 1999 BAR and various Mild Seven Benettons.

[William Hunt]

This year's Renault.

[BRG]

That Leyton House bluey-greeny-turquoisey colour was fairly nasty. And the purple Onyx/Monteverdi livery was quite tasteless too. The final Lotus F1 cars were an absolute mess to look at as was the final Brabham.

[William Hunt]

Those were all great looking cars ! Disagree with U.

[wingsbgone]

The McLaren from early-mid 90's (?) with a keel or some such appendage above the engine. I believe they even tried to shoe-horn Mansell into it at some point. Ghastly!

Oh, and how about some of Tyrrell's last innovations (X-wings, small rear tires, etc.).

[maxim]

I agree with you, Mohican.
The '99 BAR was like a jab at my eyes, especially in frontal shots.
But I remember it wasn't team BAR's vault.
FIA didn't allow to enter 2 different liveries for Villeneuve (Lucky Strike) & Zonta (555).
What a pity! Each single livery looked wonderful to me, but that compromise was really awful.

[Barry Boor]

The '99 BAR was like a jab at my eyes, especially in frontal shots.

Spot on, Maxim. Definitely the WORST EVER!

[Pikachu Racing]

99 BAR
Mark Martin's Viagra sponsor car - I wish it was still Valvoline
Lola 97 - looked good when the drawings came up but on track, it was ugly
Brabham 91
Dave Marcis car - after Prodigy and Oliver Garden, he got crap paint scheme with Realtree
Newman/Haas cars in 94 - the worse I seen with K-Mart/Texaco. I was glad they went to full black with Michael Andretti's car.

[Hitch]

I agree, '99 BAR. The ugliest livery ever seen. I was shocked when I saw the first Jaguar-green in '00 - but in the meantime I'm used to it. I heard it was thought as British Racing Green, but it's just a...

[Hitch]

Originally posted by William Hunt
This year's Renault.

Of Course you're right: I was shocked to as I expected a little bit more nostaghia...

I'm afraid this AGS from '91 is another of my all time favourites for the most tasteless livery trophy. AGS started the '91 season with an already bad livery in white with some blue stripes, before switching to this. I hardly coudn't believe it when I saw it first, though it was only a backmarker. It looked like a design they use at a driver's schools - and probably that's where the AGS cars ended their career...

[BRG]

Originally posted by Hitch
It looked like a design they use at a driver's schools - and probably that's where the AGS cars ended their career...

I believe that they did indeed end up like that. IIRC the AGS team still exists, operating somewhere in France (maybe Nogaro?) and you can go for the day and drive a F1 car after some tuition.

[Rainer Nyberg]

Other dreadful eye-sores for me are the '93 Chesterfield Lola's...(brrr), the '95 Pacific ,'95 Jordan and the '97 Minardi.

[McRonalds]

I'm no Ferraristi at all, but the '93 Ferrari was really dreadful - it looked like a Scuderia Italia car to me. Thank god they switched back to 'normal outfit' in '94...

[jessy]

I wonder that no one hast mentioned the 1992 Brabham yet....

[Hitch]

Okay, okay, it was pink - but: why not?! I especially dislike GOLDEN racecars (Arrows '78-'80, Jordan '96), - they look slow somehow... :

[ensign14]

The Lotus in Camel yellow. A hideous colour, even the Coloni seasick green was better.

Also the very pale green BRP entries and John Zink Indy specials (pink is SO not motor racing).

[maxim]

Outside F1, the '71 Porsche 917 "Pink Pig" at LeMans looked more bizarre than ugly.

[2F-001]

IIRC the AGS team still exists, operating somewhere in France (maybe Nogaro?)

AGS are at Le Luc (a.k.a. Circuit du Var) in Southern France - which was, I believe, their base and test track in their GP days. At least, they were there a couple of years ago - I was lucky enough to have a holiday doing track-days across the S. of France. (No, I didn't get to drive to their F1 - the trip was expensive enough as it was, thank you!!)

[Hitch]

Originally posted by maxim
Outside F1, the '71 Porsche 917 "Pink Pig" at LeMans looked more bizarre than ugly. [/img]

Now, wasn't that Porsche entered by Martini Racing?!?!? There is another thread online about Martini Racing - but this was of course not their typical outfit... :yawn:

...but it seems that pink cars are not that popular, but I always considered the 'pink pig' one of the most original cars I ever.

[Barry Boor]

Two things in this world that should NEVER be pink are men's shirts and racing cars!

[Zawed]

I think the 99 BAR wins hands down.

[Gary Davies]

The FW20

http://www.jacques.v...om/img/fw20.gif


Vanwall

[AdrianM]

I think the 99 BAR wins hands down.

I agree

[Barry Boor]

We have a mounting number of suggestions but I see that the '99 BAR is beginning to emerge as a clear winner (loser????).

[Hitch]

...actually each side of the BAR is okay, but if you reach an angle where both sides are visible (an most of the time both sides are visible) it's really horrible. To say nothing of the silver nose with the zipper...

Vanwall: Williams often built winners, but they hardly ever get a good design to their cars. Their white-blue-yellow cars from the 80ties were really no revelation and their Winfield cars (in my eyes) too...

... but of course no challenge to our winner the '99 BAR.

[dmj]

I particularly dislike most cars painted in blue and yellow combination, like 2002 Renault and early 50's Argentinian cars... Their early Ferrari that sometimes shows in historic events looks plain ridicolous to me, with yellow bonnet cover on mainly blue body.

[LB]

I actually like the 99 BAR...

having said that how can a Scotsman not like a Bar ;)

Anyway mid eighties Benettons. The rear end looked like it was covered in multi coloured bird crap. While the front was a sort of booger green. Disgusting.

[alain]

This years Ferrari

[fines]

The original BAR, no contest!

I still remember when Villeneuve spun the car at Melbourne's first corner during practice, now that was a funny sight!! blue - white - blue - white...

[Flying Panda]

Note on the BAR-001

IMO, When they launched with the two seperate liveries, The Lucky Strike #22 was wretched, but the #23 555 was marvelous....

I must admit, I never really fancied this livery though.....

You can stop complaining now Falc - It's one of your photos!

[Dironey]

Outside F1, the '71 Porsche 917 "Pink Pig" at LeMans looked more bizarre than ugly.

Bizarre and ugly if you ask me. In F1, I'd say the ugliest are the '99 BAR and this:
http://www.forix.com...79/06017_RN.JPG

[Dironey]

By the way, while looking for the above I came across this '79 Ensign:
http://www.forix.com...79/03022_RN.JPG
Nothing wrong with the livery, but what is the story behind that nose design??

[30ft penguin]

Originally posted by maxim
Outside F1, the '71 Porsche 917 "Pink Pig" at LeMans looked more bizarre than ugly.

Hehe, that is pretty funny Must have been sponsored by some butcher's association

[maxim]

Originally posted by 30ft penguin
Hehe, that is pretty funny Must have been sponsored by some butcher's association

I thought so too, but that's not exact.
Here's a more accurate report about the car (sorry! I meant the pig ) :
http://www.collectiq...rs/pinkpig.html

[josh.lintz]

The 1994 Nissan Skyline V-Spec II raced in the Japanese Grand Touring Car championship and entered by Trampio (?) takes the cake. Wish I could find a picture of that hideous thing.

[moody]

the 1967 Eagle was agreat looking car but the Al Pease car at Mosport that year looked like crap!!



http://www.motorraci...p67/67cdn11.htm

[stevew]

Guess I'd have to go with the 1999 BAR 01.

Everytime I'd see that car on TV, I thought of the "Joker" (of Batman fame).

[Hitch]

BAR '99...

A good car to make a bank robbery with - when the police would ask do describe the car - every witness would contradict each another...

[Hitch]

...by the way: any idea why two different color schemes are not allowed in F1?! In CART they have no problem with this - and I remember some cases in F1 too; for example March used to race two different cars in 1974, 1975, 1976 (even more than two!) and 1977. Also remember Brabham in 1970, Ensign 1977, Hesketh 1976/1977, Shadow 1979 or Surtees - most of the time...

Even McLaren used a yellow/white Marlboro sponsored car together with their ususal red/white livery in '86.

Or the third entry for Mike Hailwood in 1974, when he drove a Yardley sponsored car instead of the usual Marlboro stickers.

[Mohican]

I think that the reason why different colour schemes are not in F1 allowed is exactly that: it is allowed in CART.

Ecclestone and Mosley are well aware that CART (for all its difficulties) is a much better spectacle than F1 and that more different teams and drivers can win - hence this ridiculous insistence that F1 is more "sophisticated" and "professional" (for which read. "expensive"). One expression of which is supposed to be the fact that team cars must run in the same colours.

This is of course not the same thing as to say that both cars must be backed by the same sponsorship combination. The fact that Lucky Strike and 555 are different brands, but owned by the same company, appears to have escaped Bernie and Max. Professional, eh ?

Given the size of the commercial operation of your average F1 sponsor, I see no reason why the sponsor should be limited to pushing only one brand in its portfolio.

There have been exceptions in the past: the yellow Marlboro Mclaren is ofter referred to, but I seem to remember a Löwenbräu car at some stage too ?

I also remember Ligier-Gitanes running a one-off livery design in Australia one year ('95 ?); how does this stand up to Bernie's stability requirements ?

[SennasCat]

Does anyone remember the Lotus (think it was about a 77) that ran in Japan in Red instead of JPS black and gold I think in late 77 or late 76. Gunnar Nilsson drove it - it was hideous.

However, the First BAR takes the cake. Martin Brundle once said something like 'frills, pink and zippers on it. Maybe its a piece of lingerie!'

Best recent colour scheme - West/McLaren. Looks even better live than on TV. (And this from a Ferrari and Montoya fan)

[Mohican]

Yes, Japanese GP 1977. Lotus 78 in red & gold, driven by Gunnar Nilsson (his last GP, in fact).

[Catalina Park]

Originally posted by Dironey
By the way, while looking for the above I came across this '79 Ensign:
http://www.forix.com...79/03022_RN.JPG
Nothing wrong with the livery, but what is the story behind that nose design??

I think it's a set of steps so that you don't damage the sidepods getting in the car

[HSV]

@ Catalina Park.

This years Ferrari has to much white on it for my tastes and I hate the white front wings. I also would prefer the original deep red of Ferrari but i guess the sponsor comes first these days...

But my vote would have to be the '99 BAR and also a special mention for the '96 Jordan. It was hideous too. The colour looked ok in mags but not on the telly.

I like the WIlliams though. Reminds me of the Piquet-Brabham.

I hope the Prost comes back. That colour was gorgeous. Blue is good.

[Dironey]

I think it's a set of steps so that you don't damage the sidepods getting in the car

It does look like it, doesn't it? Either that or a bookcase.

By the way, what's wrong with the red Lotus? It's... well, plain red. Nothing more, nothing less?

[McRonalds]

Originally posted by Hitch
...by the way: any idea why two different color schemes are not allowed in F1?! In CART they have no problem with this - and I remember some cases in F1 too; for example March used to race two different cars in 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977.

Funny to mention that it was Mr. Max Mosley who runs the March Team at that time...

[Haddock]

I feel the 1994 Lotuses (I know many of us would prefer to pretend that Lotus actually ceased to exist a few years before this...sorry for reminding everyone of the fate that befell them) deserve a mention here. A truly awful mish mash of different sponsors, none of whom can have been getting much value for money given that it was all but impossible to make out who the sponsors actually were, there were so many of them on the car

(Pic here - http://www.forix.com...94/11011_8w.jpg

That said, given the team were in such dire financial straits, its quite possible the sponsors weren't actually keeping good on their contracts.

[LittleChris]

Any car that had Bennetton as a sponsor !!!

[mhferrari]

I agree with many of them.

But, with sponorship included, the 1997 British GP Tyrrell takes the cake.
http://www.forix.com...0&r=9709018&c=0

[Mac Lark]

Originally posted by moody
the 1967 Eagle was agreat looking car but the Al Pease car at Mosport that year looked like crap!!

I tried to open up the attachment but couldn't. What colour was it?

In 1986 TWR sent 2 Rover Vitesses's to NZ for the Wellington Strret race.

They were sponsored by a local chocolate company.

Some of you guys think pink is an 'non racing car colour'.

Try chocolate brown. Seriously unracy. Makes pink look superb.

As for F1 cars, the beige and brown Arrows weren't nice but the Martini Lotus 79's in 1979...

1978 - black and gold: world champions
1979 - Green,blue,red: crap

Coincidence? I don't think so.