In deference to McLaren’s tradition of running it’s interim test cars in founder Bruce McLaren’s “Kiwi Orange.” Honda is sporting a solid black chassis during this years winter testing.
For the upcoming season Formula 1 will be “Tobacco Free,” with no cigarette title sponsorships, nor “fag” logos adorning race cars. The only Constructor not conforming to the Anti-Tobacco universe of Formula 1 will be the Prancing Horse: Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, which will continue in its traditional red and white paint scheme. The Scuderia may be able to run with BAD HABITS decals in selected markets since it’s an Italian Constructor allowing it to “skirt” British regulations…
BAR-Honda’s majority stake holder, BAT (British American Tobacco) campaigned their cars as Lucky Strike/Honda’s. Lucky Strike and 555 are both BAT brands. Upon Honda’s takeover of BAR last year, BAT’s Lucky Strike title sponsorship deal was curtailed… (Renault will also drop its Mild Seven title sponsorship in 2007)
In order to spruce up its image, Honda has hired Simon Fuller to supervise the teams impending makeover. With four F1 Constructors sporting primarily white paint schemes last year, (BMW-Sauber, Honda, Toyota, Williams) hopefully Honda will sport a new unique colour in 2007…
Meanwhile in a further effort to project its environmentally friendly image, (Is this possible from a major automobile manufacturer?) Honda will sport solar panels on its F1 truck transporters and motor homes next season in concert with Honda’s marketing of it’s new spin-off: Honda Soltec Co. Ltd. (Specializing in thin film solar cell technology) Honda Racing boss Nick Fry says that its probably too early to see solar paneling on its 2007 F1 chassis…
