According to the report, feedback from television coverage highlighted the similarity of certain cars, especially during night races. This issue arises at a time when F1 cars have become increasingly similar in their bodywork, to the point where only a specialist with a keen eye could differentiate them if they were painted white or black. This uniformity is the result of the strictest regulations in the history of the sport.
A recent trend in F1 is the use of exposed carbon fiber, which has made it more challenging to distinguish between cars. Teams have turned to this technique to reduce the weight of their vehicles by using less paint. Alpine, for example, struggled with an overweight car in the early races of 2024.
As a result, F1 cars now feature a significant amount of black in their liveries. The report suggests that viewers often confuse the cars of Mercedes, Aston Martin, Williams, and VCARB. Discussions have already begun with the teams to find a solution for the 2025 season. These discussions will take place during the next F1 Commission meeting. FOM and FIA aim to avoid imposing strict rules to solve this problem and instead seek collaboration with the teams.
Nikolas Tombazis, head of single-seater racing at the FIA, stated in an interview with Motorsport.com that addressing this issue is more complex than it seems. One issue is the excessive use of exposed carbon, as paint adds weight to the cars. Furthermore, teams have made significant efforts to reduce weight by using extremely thin paint films. Another issue is the similarity in color schemes used by some teams, resulting in visually similar cars. Discussions with the teams are ongoing, and the matter will be addressed again at the next F1 Commission meeting.
Tombazis a souligné l’importance de la collaboration pour atteindre l’objectif de voitures distinctes, plutôt que de recourir à des réglementations strictes. Il a suggéré la nécessité pour les équipes de communiquer entre elles pour s’assurer que leurs peintures soient distinctes. Cependant, le processus exact de cette communication reste à déterminer. La FIA n’a pas l’intention de réglementer les peintures, mais vise à garantir que les voitures puissent être facilement différenciées.
