Photos of the new Williams have been leaked on the internet for a second year in a row. Three pictures showing the 2008 Williams livery appeared on the website of new clothing partner MacGregor.
Williams denied that the pictures shows the car in its definitive form, claiming they were evaluating potential liveries for the car in December. But the style of the shots featuring the drivers posing on the car seems to undermine that claim.
As does the fact that Williams made a similar statement last year when the car’s 2007 livery was leaked under very similar circumstances. On that occasion it revealed new logos from AT&T and Lenovo.
The team are running a series of different liveries on the car during winter testing as they celebrate their 30th year in Formula 1. But the similarity of this design to last year’s, and the absence of any of the messages seen on the interim liveries, also suggests this is the final paint job.
As well as MacGregor the logo of jewellery company Mappin and Webb is visible on the alleged 2008 livery.
More on the 2008 F1 season
- Video: Renault reveals its 2008 F1 car – the R28
- Pictures: Honda revises ‘Earth car’ livery for 2008 season
- Honda reveal their 2008 F1 car: the RA108
- Williams reveal their 2008 F1 car: the FW30
- BMW reveal their 2008 F1 car: the F1.08
- Toyota reveal their 2008 F1 car: the TF108
- McLaren reveal their 2008 F1 car: the MP4/23
- Ferrari reveal their 2008 F1 car: the F2008
- 2008 F1 drivers and teams
- 2008 F1 calendar
Robert McKay
3rd February 2008, 11:30
If that is the livery…it looks great!
milos
3rd February 2008, 11:31
and just to prove their case they may now decide to change it :-)
doctorvee
3rd February 2008, 13:21
Why do they want to keep that a secret? I looks almost exactly the same as the previous two years’ cars. Am I the only one who finds it strange that Williams have basically stuck with BMW colours even though they parted company with them rather acrimoniously in 2005?
Rohan
3rd February 2008, 13:47
Doctorvee – blue and white have been Williams’ colours since Frank first started racing in the 1970s, so it’s no surprise that the team uses them in their liveries.
Ollie
3rd February 2008, 15:01
I really would have thought the person responsible last year would have been fired by now!
@doctorvee: Williams also have a slew of sponsors who use blue and white in their logos: AT&T, RBS and Allianz to name just three.
@Rohan: I thought the first colours used by Williams were white and green, in deference to their Saudi backing at the time? Although it was before my time…
daniel
3rd February 2008, 15:52
an interesting point is that mcgregor now has removed the pictures of the drivers from its website http://mcgregorf1.com/, exept the front picture of the car. just wait a few seconds on the first page and wait for the second slide.
Steven Roy
3rd February 2008, 17:18
Maybe it is viral advertising. How much interest would any of us have taken of Williams coming up with effectively an unchanged livery? Instead the net is full of comments and pictures of a more or less unchanged Williams.
Number 38
3rd February 2008, 18:00
“Leaked” last year, “Leaked” this year I think Steven Roy has called it best. We’ve all been duped to viewing a more or less unchanged Williams.
Toby
3rd February 2008, 22:39
However, Williams might even be telling the truth. It looks like last year’s car to me – not even the 29B.
Phil
5th February 2008, 18:31
In reply to Rohan, Williams has only recently run in these colours. It used to be green and white in the ‘Saudia’ days, yellow black and white for Honda, blue white and yellow with (Canon?) Renault and into red with some beer sponsor (Veltins?) before going to blue and white with BMW. Obviously, a lot of the colours were dependent on sponsors, especially the grim red paint job, or the dominant Rothmans livery for when Senna/Hill were driving, being a case in point. Personally, I think Frank would have liked racing green, being a traditionalist, but those days are gone.