The History of Colors in Racing: Bold Sponsorships in the 70s

Discovering that race cars could serve as lucrative, mobile billboards, often exposed to vast TV audiences, triggered a hunt for sponsors in the 1970s. There were no boundaries, and creativity knew no limits. During a time when racing was truly dangerous, it was striking to see a Formula 3 car flip in an English race, with the driver unharmed, revealing a rather unique sponsor—a funeral service—advertised even on the car’s underside. It seemed the crash was foreseen! Similarly, the Formula 1 Merzario A4 Ford sported a black wing adorned with the ad for “La Varesina Sofam” Funeral Services.