Unusual F1 Car Launches in Motorsport History

We are edging closer and closer to the start of the 2018 F1 season. But before the season can even begin, the cars themselves need to be revealed. While most teams prefer to launch straight on the track before testing, others prefer online launches or at a particular event. But there are a few cases where F1 car launches can happen with much pomp and in an unusual fashion. Today, we look at some of the most unusual F1 car launches in the history of the sport.

Unusual F1 Car Launches

McLaren’s 1994 F1 campaign was a disappointing one to be perfectly honest. So for the following season, they were expected to pull all the stops. But no one could predict that they will pursue such a radical direction. Amongst other innovations, the car sported a distinctive ‘pin nose’ and airbox-mounted mini wing. The venue for the unveiling was at London’s Science Museum. Another interesting piece of trivia was that it was the first time McLaren were running on Mercedes power. Unfortunately, the car proved to be a failure and it became the target of many jokes. Particularly when Nigel Mansell struggled to fit his frame comfortably into its cockpit.

The BAR squad’s maiden car launch was a glamourous affair. It had been rumoured for some time that the team was going to present their new machine in two distinct colour schemes. One livery for Jacques Villeneuve and a different one for team mate Ricardo Zonta. However, the FIA didn’t agree and told the team that both cars had to run in the same livery. Still clinging to their idea of a dual livery, the team reached a compromise and the end result was a ‘half and half’.

Since their debut in the 2005 season, Red Bull was always synonymous with a dark blue colour scheme accented with varying amounts of red and yellow. However, come February 2015, the Milton Keynes team decided to change things up. They rolled out the new RB11 in a radical black and white paintjob. The ‘Camobull’ was an instant hit with fans, as well as Red Bull team boss Christian Horner. He said, “It’s quite striking – and impossible to get details and photographs of the car at this time of the year when everybody tries to be as secretive as possible. Believe me: our real livery will not disappoint [the fans] once we have introduced it, but right now it is all about [rivals] not getting detail shots of the car: this livery confuses your eye line”. In the end, Red Bull ran with their classic livery for the remainder of the season.

The McLaren team showcased their 2011 challenger in one of the most creative manners. In a busy Berlin street, the pit crew wheeled out the chassis and slowly began to piece the car together one by one. Even the drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button got in on the act and gave an impromptu live demonstration.

After running with the BAR colour scheme for a long time, Honda promised a ‘very different’ colour scheme. The only hint they dropped was an environmental theme, but what followed was a jaw-dropping livery. The car was covered from end to end with a satellite picture of the surface of the globe as seen from space. It also featured no branding and represented a radical break in convention. The idea was to raise awareness of environmental issues. But while some were impressed by the level of detail expressed in the graphics, others were not wowed so easily. Given how Honda’s season progressed that year, they were justified.