Cars
The History of Colors in Racing: Surprising Sponsorships
Motorsport sponsorships have made waves with Ferrari's tribute at Monza after 9/11, a Corvette in Ferrari livery at Le Mans, and creative partnerships like Jaguar's diamond-studded car and Red Bull's Star Wars tribute.
Sponsorship has taken center stage even in ways that go against its mission. The most famous instance occurred in 2001 when Ferrari, with World Champion Michael Schumacher, won at Monza with no sponsor logos. At Schumacher's request, in respect for the many innocent victims of the 9/11 attacks, Ferrari removed all sponsors from cars and suits, leaving only one contrasting mark against the red: a black nose as a sign of mourning.
In another unique case, Ferrari was tied to the "sponsorship" of a Corvette. In 1972, the North American Racing Team (NART), Ferrari's U.S. importer known for its yellow Prancing Horse logo against an American flag backdrop, entered a Corvette in the 24 Hours of Le Mans alongside several Ferraris. Ideally, it would have borne no Ferrari symbols, but the Automobile Club de l'Ouest required NART's registered cars to display their official team livery. The Corvette, sporting Ferrari's colors, finished the race in an unusual sighting at Le Mans.
