February in Formula One has been a whirlwind. The series stated that Madrid will join the calendar in 2026, then denied Andretti’s desire to join the grid in 2025 or 2026, Oh, and then it was reported that Lewis Hamilton would leave Mercedes to join Ferrari following the 2024 season.
In the midst of all of this, it’s easy to forget that February is typically reserved for teams to reveal their new cars for the season. While F1 has been rife with breaking news, all ten teams have found time to unveil their new 2024 livery designs.
Now that the event halls that held all those launch parties have been cleaned up, ESPN’s Laurence Edmondson, Nate Saunders, and Austin Lindberg go through the photographs from those nights to see whose new look is the most striking. Here are the 2024 Formula One livery power rankings:
 Alpine
This car was unveiled alongside Alpine’s new WEC entry at the Enstone launch. All I’ll say is Google “Alpine A424” to see how the livery should seem. — Edmondson
Rubbish. I could have done better with Microsoft Paint. Alpine has failed to establish a strong identity in F1 since 2021, and this bland livery just adds to that feeling. I’m still not sure what this squad or brand stands for. — Saunders
This had so much promise. I like how the different tones of pink and blue overlap in these angular shapes that resemble the “A” in the Alpine emblem. It’s just so depressing that we see so little of it because someone with a calculator in Enstone calculated that every brushstroke would cost the team eight millionths of a second over the course of the race. — Lindberg
Williams
Smart, business-like, and rather dull. There are many concerns about how much carbon fibre is on the grid, but no one complains about the amount of blue. Anyway, the Duracell airbox continues to make me grin. — Edmondson
Not amazing, but not bad. A little lackluster for a club like Williams. I agree about the Duracell airbox, however this livery left me wanting more. — Saunders
I like the bright blue on the top of the nose and the back part of the sidepods, but there’s a lot of navy on this car that I’m not sure will stand out until it’s under studio lights and in front of bright blue LCD screens. — Lindberg
Sauber
Even by 2024 standards, that’s a lot of exposed carbon fiber, and it’s separated by… hastily conceptualised bright green lines? Am I supposed to think of a circuit board? Is Stake moving to Formula E? — Lindberg
Yes, there is a lot of black, but this is a vivid color that hasn’t shown on the grid in a long time. I’m a fan for NFL Color Rush kits and adored the brilliant flashes on the Brawn GP car in 2009. I believe there are elements of both approaches at work here, which works well for a team that wants to go outside the box. It may be better, but the palette of the grid’s cars has been getting duller every year, so overall
Even by 2024 standards, that’s a lot of exposed carbon fiber, and it’s separated by… hastily conceptualised bright green lines? Am I supposed to think of a circuit board? Is Stake moving to Formula E? — Lindberg
Yes, there is a lot of black, but this is a vivid color that hasn’t shown on the grid in a long time. I’m a fan for NFL Color Rush kits and adored the brilliant flashes on the Brawn GP car in 2009. I believe there are elements of both approaches at work here, which works well for a team that wants to go outside the box. It may be better, but the palette of the grid’s cars has been getting duller every year, so overall
Haas
Prior to F1’s fad diet of exposed carbon fiber, Haas’ cars were a variety of black and grey colors. However, I’m not sure that’s the type of trendsetting that anyone should be proud of. — Lindberg
Controversial opinion klaxon. What is wrong with carbon fiber? On a road car, you’d have to pay exorbitant fees to see this much of it. When done well, as Haas has with contrasting white and red, I believe it looks sharp. — Edmondson
I agree. “Sharp” is the perfect term. This isn’t a jumble of colors like some of the other vehicles on the grid. I appreciate how the front and rear wings proudly and prominently display the red connected with the team’s insignia. Flashes of white are also a great color.
McLaren
I wish they would completely embrace the papaya tone of orange. Bruce McLaren’s early vehicles became well-known in other series, such as the car Fernando Alonso raced in the 2017 Indy 500. Perhaps that is too much to ask in Formula One right now. This is near enough for now. — Saunders
I’m delighted they got rid of the blue, but the Google colours on the wheels still clash with the otherwise clean look. Extra points for the chevron design where the two colors meet, which I can only assume is an intentional tribute to Marlboro McLarens from the 1980s and 1990s. — Edmondson
It’s a shame that CEO Zak Brown’s ability to sell sponsorship real estate is the most eye-catching aspect of this livery, but the tribute to Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna’s liveries is a lovely touch. — Lindberg
