F1 Team Colours Explained: Where Every Livery Comes From
Quick answer: Many F1 colours go back to the old national racing colours: red for Italy, green for Britain, blue for France and silver for Germany. Others come from a team's founder or its title sponsor. Ferrari is red, Mercedes silver, McLaren papaya, Aston Martin green and Alpine blue.
Every team's colours
| Team | Colours | Where they come from |
|---|---|---|
| Ferrari | Red | Rosso Corsa, Italy's national racing colour |
| Mercedes | Silver and black, teal accents | The Silver Arrows of the 1930s, Germany's racing colour |
| McLaren | Papaya orange | The colour Bruce McLaren's cars used in the late 1960s |
| Aston Martin | Green and lime | British racing green |
| Alpine | Blue and pink | French racing blue, pink from partner BWT |
| Red Bull Racing | Dark blue, red and yellow | The Red Bull can |
| Racing Bulls | White and blue | Its title partners |
| Williams | Navy blue | The team's modern identity and partners |
| Haas | White, black and red | Founder Gene Haas's company colours |
| Audi | Silver, black and red | Audi's own brand identity |
| Cadillac | Black and white | Cadillac's own brand identity |
The national racing colours
In the early days of Grand Prix racing, cars were painted by country. Italy raced in red, Britain in green, France in blue and Germany in white, which later became silver. Sponsors replaced most of these from the late 1960s, but Ferrari never left red and Aston Martin brought green back.
The Silver Arrows
The popular story says Mercedes scraped the white paint off its car in 1934 to save weight, leaving bare silver metal. Historians still debate it, but the name Silver Arrows stuck, and Mercedes has used silver for most of its modern era.
Colours on teamwear
Teamwear follows the livery, so the colour is the fastest way to show your team. Most teams also sell black or white alternatives, and race special editions often use a one off colour, such as Red Bull's pink Las Vegas cap. See the best special edition caps of 2026.
Shop by colour
Ferrari 2026 Team T-Shirt
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McLaren 2026 Team Polo
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Aston Martin Team Polo
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Williams 2026 Team T-Shirt
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FAQ
Why is Ferrari red?
Red, or Rosso Corsa, was Italy's national racing colour, and Ferrari has kept it since its first Grand Prix.
Why is Mercedes called the Silver Arrows?
Its 1930s cars raced in bare silver. The name stuck and Mercedes still uses silver today.
Why is McLaren orange?
Papaya orange was the colour of Bruce McLaren's cars in the late 1960s, and the team brought it back in the modern era.
