It won’t have escaped F1 fans’ attention that Mercedes’ W13 sees the team switch back to their traditional silver colours after two seasons of running a black livery – with Team Principal Toto Wolff explaining the decision behind the swap.
Mercedes have traditionally been known as the ‘Silver Arrows’, but moved to a black livery at the start of the delayed 2020 season, with Wolff commenting at the time that the move was designed to promote “respect and equality… [and] to show our commitment to greater diversity within our team and our sport”.
But asked at the launch of the 2022-spec, silver-painted W13 about the revertion to the ‘classic’ Mercedes livery, Wolff replied: “The black livery was a clear [statement of] intent and a clear demonstration of our mission to become a more diverse and inclusive team. It has become part of our DNA, but the silver colour of the Silver Arrows is as much our DNA; it's our history.”
Wolff added, however, that the team’s colours going forward would now be considered “silver and black” – while adding his belief that Mercedes' support of initiatives to increase diversity would “widen the talent pool we have available”.
“As a team we have grown from the Silver Arrows to slowly becoming a more diverse and inclusive team and therefore our colours going forward will be silver and black,” said Wolff.
“Increasing the diversity of our team isn’t about meeting a quota,” he added. “It’s about recruiting the very best people regardless of ethnicity, gender, religion or sexual orientation. Our work inspiring people who might otherwise think a career in engineering, technology or motorsport isn’t for them will widen the talent pool we have available. A diverse workforce drives performance.”
Having had a shakedown in blustery conditions at Silverstone on February 18, the W13 will next hit the track in Barcelona, when pre-season running begins at the track on February 23.
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