“Yellow returns to the livery of Williams,” the team announced in an official press release on Thursday. Thanks to a partnership with Latin American company Mercado Libre, the FW46 will sport a bright yellow engine cover for the next two Grands Prix. As indicated in the message, this is not the first time the British team has opted for a blue-yellow color scheme.
Ever since Franco Colapinto was called up to replace Logan Sargeant, Williams has been making strides in Central and South America. The young driver, who is referred to as the ‘Argentine Max Verstappen’ in his home country, is attracting major sponsors. Among them is Mercado Libre, one of the largest payment and shipping services in Latin America, which has partnered with the team.
‘Iconic’
During the Mexican and Brazilian GPs, the striking yellow logo of Mercado Libre will be visible on Williams’ livery. This results in a striking blue-yellow design. It’s not the first time the team from Grove has raced with this color scheme. Between 1983 and 1993, often considered the heyday of Williams, the car also featured yellow, initially thanks to a partnership with British chemical company ICI, and later due to sponsorship from cigarette brand Camel.
‘Yellow holds a special place in the legendary history of Williams, and it’s fantastic to see the color return to our cars,’ said Commercial Director James Bower. This marks the fourth time this year that Williams has changed the livery. Previously, we saw the British flag in Silverstone, the Duracell bunny in Monaco, and a special sticker in the United States.
Nigel Mansell won the title in 1992 in the Williams FW14B, which sported a livery of yellow and blue (Motorsport Images).
