As part of a growing movement across sports in general, the Mercedes Benz AMG F1 team will adopt a black livery for the 2020 Formula 1 season in recognition of global movements to confront racism. The livery is part of a larger effort to diversify the AMG F1 team as well as provide a framework for minority and under represented groups to join the sport. Drivers will get new black suits as well and will be updating their helmet designs.
Silver Arrows
Mercedes Formula 1 cars have traditionally been silver cars dating back to pre-war creations by Mercedes and Auto Union that raced in bare aircraft metal to save on weight. Silver is also the international racing color for Germany, however Ferrari is the only real hold out for traditional national racing colors.
Related: F1 Superstar Lewis Hamilton Proudly Supports Black Lives Matter
Symbol of Action
The change of color is only meant to be symbolic of the change at the team. In a statement released by the team they acknowledged a short coming in their own diversity and pledged to address it saying, "just three per cent of our workforce identify as belonging to minority ethnic groups and only 12% of our employees are women. This lack of diversity shows that we need to find new approaches to attract talent from many areas of society we do not currently reach. We know that our team will be stronger if we can attract talents from the broadest possible pool and we are committed to achieving this through positive action."
#WeRaceAsOne
The move by Mercedes reflects a larger initiative within F1 marked by the hashtag #WeRaceAsOne, a shared commitment to both the responses to the pandemic and the global movements to combat racism and inequality. It builds on a previous initiative, #PurposeDriven, that already had increased diversity as part of its agenda as well as the goal to make F1 carbon neutral by 2030.
The hashtag will be featured on Mercedes F1 cars. Other series have faced issues of diversity in similar moves, with NASCAR's only full time black driver adopting a Black Lives Matter livery.
Source: Mercedes AMG F1