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McLaren switch to papaya livery "very possible"

Published on 28 Dec 2017 13:30
16
By: Fergal Walsh

McLaren's Eric Boullier has stated that it is "very possible" the team could switch to a papaya livery in 2018. Many fans called for the return of an orange livery for 2017, with the Woking-based team delivering last February when it launched its new orange and black colour scheme.

Throughout 2017, fans have called for a papaya livery, which Fernando Alonso ran with at his Indy 500 debut. Speaking in Abu Dhabi, McLaren racing director Zak Brown was questioned on whether or not a papaya livery was returning, to which he replied: "Let's just say, we listen to our fans."

Boullier too has not ruled out a papaya livery for McLaren: "We are seriously considering it," the Frenchman said to Marca. "It is very possible that we will change next year."

McLaren has endured a turbulent three years with Honda power, being hit with pace and reliability issues. However, next year it will run with Renault power in a bid to return towards the front of the field. Boullier admits that it has been a very positive transition.

"It has been a very fluid change, it is something that we are pleased about," he said. "We are very well organised and the job is almost finished. Now it is just a matter of development and performance. The changes have motivated the team and everyone at McLaren is looking forward to being in Melbourne."

Fergal Walsh

calle.itw

Posts: 8,527

I honestly think McLaren should stick with one livery for a while. All this switching hinders them from getting an identity on track, methinks. And IMO the Indy livery was boring at best.

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Dec 28 2017 - 15:03

F1 News Fernando Alonso McLaren Renault Honda

Replies (16)

Kean

Posts: 692
I liked the Indy 500 livery. Remember years back, McLaren ran the papaya livery while testing. With the right design it could look really nice.
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- Dec 28 2017 - 14:22
f1fan0101

Posts: 1,804
Red and white would be cool again
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- Dec 28 2017 - 14:39
calle.itw

Posts: 8,527
I honestly think McLaren should stick with one livery for a while. All this switching hinders them from getting an identity on track, methinks. And IMO the Indy livery was boring at best.
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- Dec 28 2017 - 15:03
- Kevin
  
  Posts: 5,288
  I agree. Papaya is hideous... i enjoyed this year’s livery. Just stick to that.
  + 1
  
  Dec 28 2017 - 15:15
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  We really had a good livery year this year! Loved McLaren's, Toro Rosso's, Force India's, Sauber's and Williams' liveries.
  + 0
  
  Dec 28 2017 - 16:35
- Kean
  
  Posts: 692
  Sean Bull has some nice design concepts. I really like the Force India concept for 2018.
  + 0
  
  Dec 28 2017 - 16:49
- f1fan0101
  
  Posts: 1,804
  I hated the one this year. It was hideous, easily the worst on the grid IMO.
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  Dec 28 2017 - 19:24
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  A matter of taste, really. I liked it far better than their livery in Indy, and actually find it sorta on par with the livery they had in 2016 (though Im not sure whether I like the late 2015 livery better or not). Either way, Im not really for a return to red and white. I realize its a popular demand on the grid, but those colours hasnt been McLaren's for so long, and the only reason they adopted them was due to the Marlboro sponsorship. It could still return, and I'd probably not mind it, but its a new era, they should make a new name for themselves.
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  Dec 28 2017 - 21:36
- krommenaas
  
  Posts: 155
  Agree they shouldn't completely change again. Well they should have kept the black livery while they were with Honda and switched to orange now, but too late for that. But the current livery can certainly be improved a lot while still being an evolution rather than something completely new.
  + 1
  
  Dec 28 2017 - 21:59
mbmwe36

Posts: 533
Orange and black is not a bad combo - I think they should stick to that for a while.

That being said, I'd love for them to return to the red and white, or the silver from the late nineties.

I agree with Jeanette BTW. Sean Bull's 2018 FI design is all kinds of nice - would love to see them do something like that.
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- Dec 28 2017 - 20:08
- mbmwe36
  
  Posts: 533
  Well, not Jeanette - Kean. Thanks there, autocorrect...
  + 2
  
  Dec 28 2017 - 20:49
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  Jeanette? Boy, I love autocorrect at times. Its like writing my thesis in Microsoft word: every second word is suggested to be something completely different (HFpEF patients....=Hype patients?!).
  + 0
  
  Dec 28 2017 - 21:39
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  And I agree that McLaren should stick with orange and black. Its far better than the Indy livery. Whatever they do, they should stick with it for a while, build a presence with it.
  
  That FI livery looks cool, but somehow it looks a bit Red Bullish. Would certainly not mind it though.
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  Dec 28 2017 - 21:43
- Kean
  
  Posts: 692
  I return to Sean Bull. I also found that he has every McLaren livery on the 2017 car (he also has that for Ferrari), interesting to see how the classic marlboro livery looks on current cars. After looking at those concepts I'm inclined to agree that the orange and black is not bad. The silver and black is not bad either, but silver and black is not exactly original, I like a bit of color.
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  Dec 29 2017 - 09:26
Ram Samartha

Posts: 1,172
I hate the off season when there is nothing better for F1 fans to comment on than the McLaren livery. I also liked the silver of the 90s and the red and white.
www.formula1.com/e(...)ough-the-years.html
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- Dec 28 2017 - 22:21
ajpennypacker

Posts: 2,475
If the car can fight for podiums it will be beautiful. I don't care so much about the color if the car is good. The red and white was not visually impressive, but it was a winner. Winners are beautiful.
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- Dec 29 2017 - 02:24