Formula One will reveal its new logo design on Sunday, CEO Chase Carey has confirmed.
The new logo design has not yet been confirmed but trademark applications for three different styles have been registered by the sport’s owners (above).
“I know it’s Sunday,” Carey revealed in an interview with Sky when asked when the new logo would be introduced. “I’m not sure where in the process. Out marketing people are the experts on where we’re going to launch the logo.”
Carey confirmed one of the reasons the sport’s new owners had decided to drop the long-used current logo (below) was because of its use of ‘negative space’ in the middle of the design. “I think it was the fact that the ‘one’ was just formed out of empty space, that’s what I was told.”
Carey said he was prepared to accept some fans would not like the new design. “Any time you change you’re always going to have a mixed set of views,” he said.
“What we wanted to do is provide a fresh energy to the sport and I think we have a lot of plans and lot of things we want to do and we thought the logo is a good way to emphasise the excitement and fresh energy.”
2017 F1 season
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Phylyp (@phylyp)
24th November 2017, 10:40
Ooh, the excitement. Be still, my beating heart!
/s
verstappen (@verstappen)
24th November 2017, 22:48
Exactly.
If FIFA changed their logo, would it change anyone’s mind about soccer/ football?
Nope. It’s all about the content.
NoName (@noname)
24th November 2017, 10:41
Absolutely awfull, just leave it as it is.
Lewis McMurray (@celicadion23)
24th November 2017, 10:44
So they’re dropping the old logo because they don’t like the use of the “negative space” in the middle…which is the whole reason the logo works so well and has lasted so long. It’s interesting, dynamic and fun. So what if the design is a little bit retro?
And “mixed reaction” to the proposed new logos?? from what I’ve seen it’s pretty much universally negative. Sounds like they haven’t done their research at all on this one.
If the new logo is indeed any of the three above then someone needs to have a word with themselves
Phylyp (@phylyp)
24th November 2017, 10:53
@celicadion23 – I have a few theories to the logo change, all of which are uncharitable:
a) Liberty’s marketing team have to make their presence felt in a visible manner and justify their existence/budget, hence the change.
b) Liberty need to “mark” their territory, the same way my car’s tires get marked by canines.
c) Liberty is focused on growing F1 in new markets (read: USA), and their focus group tests have shown poor recognizability of the current F1 logo as representing ‘Formula 1’.
Egonovi
24th November 2017, 14:56
must be a)
This is to explain the prize money drop.
PS what is ‘negative space’?
If ‘space’ is nothing then ‘negative space’ must be everything ;)
Sihrtogg (@sihrtogg)
24th November 2017, 23:31
d) it’s part of a tax evasion scheme where a shell company on the Cayman Islands will own the new logo and gets to claim huge amounts of royalties from Liberty Media for using the logo everywhere, artificially reducing the total profit for Liberty Media so less tax is payed
Phylyp (@phylyp)
25th November 2017, 2:11
@sihrtogg – that’s so diabolical it must be true! It reminds me of Hollywood accounting.
Strontium (@strontium)
24th November 2017, 11:10
+1
TheOracle
24th November 2017, 14:29
+1
Gabriel (@rethla)
24th November 2017, 17:49
@celicadion23
The “negative space” looks fine on this background where it is in fact white and not negative space. It works way worse on other backrgrounds like lets say an TV screen. The red stripes is also an flickering nightmare on TV screens and the only thing that surprises me is why hasnt this been changed waaaay sooner?
Of the new logos the only thing i like is the font of “Formula 1” in the first logo but im not an top designer either so who knows.
xcm
24th November 2017, 19:36
It hasn’t been changed sooner because it does it’s job, and people like it.
Blasbri
24th November 2017, 23:17
After 14 year watching F1, I had just discovered that damned “negative space” this summer. And now they’re going to change it?
Curb (@curbshifter)
24th November 2017, 10:45
I don’t mind the logo change. In a decade the current logo will be part of a nostalgia trip like https://youtu.be/qgiBkydMW8k
But I have to say, a logo discussion is a good distraction from the coming halo. :'(
Gary
24th November 2017, 10:56
There is no halo “issue”. In the same interview Chase Carey was asked about the halo given the near-universal negative reaction from F1 fans. Chase said: “it’s up to us to make the halo a positive … we will make the halo an attractive part of the car.”
Well. There you go, problem solved.
bruceybabymcl
24th November 2017, 12:20
Can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic….
The Halo will NEVER be an attractive part of the car. They’ll keep it until the court cases which birthed it are over then they’ll ditch it.
OmarRoncal - Go Seb!!! (@)
24th November 2017, 15:25
What about making the halo more triangular? I don’t know if the safety demands a circular thing, but a delta-shaped one could look much better.
Gary
24th November 2017, 17:07
/Sarcasm
I agree that this halo exercise is driven by legal matters, not out of some “all of a sudden” incremental concern for driver safety and coincident revelation that if you put them inside a roll cage it would be safer.
TR
24th November 2017, 23:23
Magnetized Halo for 2018, confirmed!
Khaled
24th November 2017, 10:45
Leave the logo and concentrate on something else.
The logo is fine.
David (@davisp)
24th November 2017, 10:48
I asked my gf which of the 4 logos (the old + 3 new) she likes the most. she didn’t know the old one before. she prefers the old one by far. The new ones are really terrible
Andy (@andycz)
24th November 2017, 15:52
Same here! “I like the one with the red thing…”
GeeMac (@geemac)
24th November 2017, 11:01
The new logos are all awful. The old one is brilliant and has stood the test of time quite well, it’s a really clever bit of design. If the only reason to change it is because it was brought in under Bernie’s watch this is a mistake.
Fixy (@)
24th November 2017, 14:26
@geemac the beauty of the current logo is it does not feel like it ages. I didn’t know uuntil yesterday it was developed in 1994, though I knew it wasn’t always used. It does not look like surpassed 1930s logos, or out of date like 1980s logos, nor over-simplistic like 2010s logos. It’s not old nor young, it’s perfect for a lasting use and that’s what makes a logo recognisable: not changing it every two months.
Strontium (@strontium)
24th November 2017, 20:12
@geemac @fixy it certainly has a timeless feel, doesn’t it. A lot of the best logos out there are the ones that are timeless and have survived for decades without getting old.
Logos can also be modified and updated over the years if necessary, without being completely redesigned.
AmineK
24th November 2017, 11:02
Nothing wrong with the current logo. They just want to sell you more merchandise and get more money from licensing rights…
Strontium (@strontium)
24th November 2017, 11:07
You have got to be kidding…
Selbbin (@selbbin)
24th November 2017, 11:14
All the new designs are, quite frankly, amateur rubbish.
Travis Daye (@travis-daye)
24th November 2017, 11:18
Whilst none of the new logos are doing it for me quite yet, I will not be sorry to see the back of the old logo. I have always found it unclear and I think it has aged badly.
frood19 (@frood19)
24th November 2017, 11:19
i miss the old school graphics, the yellow boxes. i think they were much more readable than now.
http://i.imgur.com/cLGj3HF.png
StefMeister (@stefmeister)
24th November 2017, 12:22
@frood19 I always hated those old graphics. Took up too much space, Were ugly to look at & provided less info.
It’s the same reason I tend to hate the American style graphics used in things like Indycar & Nascar. Are too bog & Take up too much space for the info they provide.
The various graphics used since 2004 (And the F1 Digital+ one’s used from 99-02) have clean, tidy & have took up no more room than necessary to provide the information they do.
skylab (@skylab)
24th November 2017, 13:50
@frood19
Those retro graphics are my favs too but, alas, have had their day…
Re the picture you posted… Villeneuve 20 seconds ahead of Schumacher, Panis and Berger…? 1997 or 96? But where!?
frood19 (@frood19)
24th November 2017, 13:53
@skylab can’t be 96 because ralf is in 6th place (he only debuted in 97). i think perhaps barcelona – help, anyone?
Ferro (@ferro)
24th November 2017, 14:51
1997 for sure, but not Barcelona. Williams had a different rear wing there (blue with white letters). My guess: Interlagos, shortly after Berger’s first pit stop, which dropped him from second to fifth.
skylab (@skylab)
24th November 2017, 19:52
Interlagos sounds about right. Good spot. Love that enormous swathe of grass!
Reckon ‘spot the race from the obscure picture’ would be good feature on this site @keithcollantine :)
Lyle
24th November 2017, 11:22
Why bother? Needless change. The current logo is genius. I’ll only truly be annoyed if the new logo is awful, like the 3 above.
Sergey Martyn
24th November 2017, 11:29
The first logo is great for metal bending workshop, the second one – for noodles factory, the third one is the best of all this shame, though I believe the author of this mind bend is still wetting his pants in elementary school.
What a waste and hogwash!
Please leave the old one – it’s perfect. It has the spirit of racing, the proposed doodles are stupid.
Liberty Media told us that after kicking Bernie F1 will be close to fans.
Why no smarty pants is trying to touch the logos that are hundreds years old – Mercedes, Levi’s, Heinz, Shell, Johnson & Johnson etc.? Because they have a legacy. Liberty Media doesn’t – except Chasey Carey mustaches.
Robbie (@robbie)
24th November 2017, 11:35
If it must be one of those three, I’d pick the one on the right.
Sophie
24th November 2017, 11:38
Fair point on the empty space. I like the new designs, be interesting to see which one they go with!
Tony Mansell
24th November 2017, 11:49
I like the red and black one, go with that.
Or, after the recent secret Mercedes engine modes for ‘competitor’ cars:
WWF1
David Spurr
24th November 2017, 11:54
I really hope the three registered ones are red herrings. They’re all pretty amateurish and the second one is atrocious, what is going on with the alignment of the logo and the text?
Ric van Kempen
24th November 2017, 12:10
Logo changes are costly, cumbersome and most of the time only serve to boost some ego’s that have yet to prove their worth. As a Dutchman, I was baffled when Philips returned to their very old (almost oldfashioned) logo, albeit slightly updated. Proves the ‘newer’ logo never worked. Look at Williams’ sponsor Randstad. Clean simple design, probably half a century old. Work of a genius; a change would be suicidal.
I think the current F1 logo is clean and looks fast, which cannot be said of the three proposals. There is always a better idea, but these three are amateurish – as stated above.
Ju88sy (@)
24th November 2017, 12:11
I expect the agency they used for the logo design have tested the logo round the world and selected based on broadest appeal possible rather than a Western European taste.
Neil (@neilosjames)
24th November 2017, 12:20
I wish I had your faith in logo-design agencies…
Serg (@)
24th November 2017, 12:16
Next year’s Formula One fully deserves either of the three logos proposed.
StefMeister (@stefmeister)
24th November 2017, 12:24
I think they should just leave the current logo as is.
I think the proposals that were made public were all rubbish & uninspiring. Certaining changing the logo because it has too much negative space is IMO not a valid reason to change it, Especially when it’s that negative space (The ‘hidden’ 1) that makes it work so well.
But even then if the new one looked better than I’d be fine with it, However I just don’t think any of what we have seen do.
F1 Alleycat (@f1alleycat)
26th November 2017, 4:11
@stefmeister +1
Liberty keep telling us they are bringing ‘fresh energy’ with their new logo but none of the proposed designs convey ‘energy’ in the same way as the current one IMO. Like you, I actually wouldn’t mind a new logo if it was an improvement, however the 3 we’ve seen just aren’t so I would rather they left it alone.
Dewald Nel (@ho3n3r)
24th November 2017, 12:41
Nothing will ever be better than the old logo. I don’t see why one would want to fix something that ain’t broken.
John H (@john-h)
24th November 2017, 12:42
oh dear
John H (@john-h)
24th November 2017, 13:33
I’ve had a quick go during my lunch hour to design a modern version of the old logo (minus the negative space which Carey is apparently so bothered about).
(Link)
Shimks (@shimks)
24th November 2017, 12:44
What a terrible decision to throw away all the goodwill associated with the current logo, which is still an excellent design. Why on earth would they want to do this? I can only think of one reason: “Hey, we’re the new kids on the block now. We want to make that clear.”
Deej92 (@deej92)
24th November 2017, 12:49
Not a great choice but it would be the third one for me. The other two really are terrible.
Bart
24th November 2017, 13:18
Indeed.
The ‘corner that turns into a dead stop’ and ‘bent paperclip’ are hardly recognizable as representing the letters F1 (let alone the sport).
The last one sort of resembles a finishing flag, if you squint hard and had one drink too many.
If they really are to replace a mediocre logo with one of three bad ones, it has to be that one.
Funny thing. The old logo never looked good on TV, as the thin triangles on the right either got smothered or interlacing at CTR TVs. Nowadays, with high definition TV, it looks less bad than ever. And now they revert to what only looks acceptable on a 1952 B/W TV set…
Steven Robertson (@emu55)
24th November 2017, 13:16
Ferrari threatens to quit, Liberty remove the Ferrari red from the F1 logo..
asd
24th November 2017, 14:02
no.
Rafal
24th November 2017, 14:10
What the hell is that? …absolutely rubbish! Plz don’t change the current logo! It is already well recognizable…
Jere (@jerejj)
24th November 2017, 14:52
Just keep it as it is. ”If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.”
Gabriel (@rethla)
24th November 2017, 20:14
It is broken
marksch (@marksch)
24th November 2017, 15:18
Add a flip-flop design to it and make it as ridiculous as the cars will look next year.
GnosticBrian (@gnosticbrian)
24th November 2017, 15:31
Letg me guess.
The logo will be parked in a tax haven and F1 will have to pay a massive fee to use it….
Nick Wyatt (@nickwyatt)
24th November 2017, 23:30
Oooh, probably right. I would!
vintly
24th November 2017, 15:36
The old logo is certainly too slanty, and the typography is rather dated. The ‘negative space’ comment doesn’t really hold up as it’s quite current to use negative space in logos, although there may be reasons why Liberty don’t want it. There’s nothing wrong with changing a logo after a decade plus, and if Liberty want to address this as a brand issue then fine, just make a good choice. Personally I’ve always thought the current logo was overworked.
The only viable one from the three trademarked versions at the top of the article is the right-hand one. The left hand one isn’t great and the middle one is just silly. The right-hand one works neatly, although using Helvetica could be deemed a tad lazy.
bull mello (@bullmello)
24th November 2017, 15:39
Ha, typical corporate-think.
Of course marketing want to change it. How can they justify their jobs by saying not to change it?
This means that they will likely pick logo #2 the worst of the lot. Because it is far more confusing than the current negative space 1 logo, but it is “different”!
Maciek (@maciek)
24th November 2017, 16:21
I don’t mind the first of the three new ones, on the left. The old one was ok, but it’s starting to look dated. I just wish that whatever they pick, it would’ve just been a few people talking over what they think looks good and cool, rather than have some multiheaded marketing hydra birth whatever monstrosity they think will communicate the most synergy or other corporate psychobabble catchword – that’s how we got the McLaren mankini, for me easily way up there with the worst liveries ever.
JC
24th November 2017, 16:30
The current F1 logo is superb. Timeless even, like the Rolex crown or the Ford oval. Sure, tweak it and smarten it up every now and again, but don’t mess with it too much.
Of the new ones… the first is very Tilke-esque, the second looks like Kimi’s racing line at the Montreal hairpin, while the third seems to be the result of the Force India’s being left to race each other.
Ju88sy (@)
24th November 2017, 17:13
The current logo is crap, but so are the alternatives!
Robert McKay
24th November 2017, 16:57
The logos are crap. But if this is the level of complaint Liberty get over a logo (fairly irrelevant all round) just wait until they announce the half-time multiball (or whatever the F1 equivalent is) when they actually go after the rule book :-D
Gary
24th November 2017, 17:12
Notice none of the proposed new logos include a doodle-drawing of an F1 car, since in order to pass Liberty’s legal department (no false advertising) said doodle would have had to include a halo.
Arrows98 (@arrows98)
24th November 2017, 17:42
oh, boy…
the current F1 logo is, in my opinion, one of the best-designed logos ever made; trying to change it was always going to end badly… but these are really, really awful!!
then, again, Carey is in marketing, and marketing people rarely care about the quality of a design: as long as is new and tests well with a focus group of about 20 people (to give some semblance of some kind of “research”), its fine with them…
Chip Hilton
24th November 2017, 18:31
Too bad there weren’t comment boards in 1994. It would be interesting to go back and see the reaction when the current logo was introduced. I doubt very much if the reaction was 95 percent positive as it is now.
Triples (@triples)
24th November 2017, 18:40
What!,,,,!, the proposed new ones are rubbish ! Don’t change for Goodness sake !
Calum Menzies
24th November 2017, 19:32
Keep focusing on the fundamental changes, F1.
MtlRacer (@mtlracer)
24th November 2017, 19:54
Part of me thinks the only reason they want to change it so drastically, rather than just tweaking like most iconic logos do (Shell, Apple, Mercedes, BMW, GE, to name but a few examples), is to break from the “Bernie Era”.
I’m clinging to the fact that the qualifying format was changed two years ago and it was a total failure, and they reverted their decision and went back to what we enjoy now.
Gabriel (@rethla)
24th November 2017, 20:11
Yeh they should build something of the last logo and try to get it iconic.
spoutnik (@spoutnik)
24th November 2017, 20:00
I never liked the old logo. I dont like the new ones and am surprised that such high profile companies struggle so much to produce something decent. But in the end I don’t care much. The one I’d choose between them all would be the first.
Oni (@oni)
24th November 2017, 20:15
I really like the third logo. I think the logo and the “Formula 1” text below match so much better than the current one. Also the design is quite edgy and feels fresh. I would like to see some red and not just a monochrome logo though.
Nick Wyatt (@nickwyatt)
24th November 2017, 20:19
I’m disappointed that each logo design shown here has to have ‘Formula 1’ written beneath it. If the designs were good enough, they wouldn’t need it. It also causes immeasurable problems for non-English readers – Fórmula, Formule, Formel, формула, Képlet, פאָרמולאַ . . . How are they supposed to relate to what is supposed to be an international sport if they can’t read the logo?
After all Shell Petroleum doesn’t need the words spelt out underneath the symbol, does it? Or Apple, or Nike etcetera.
I agree with vintly (above) who said that the current logo was too slanty. Reduce the angle to about 8 degrees and re-work the typography a bit and it would do for another thirty years
F1Codger
24th November 2017, 20:46
The old logo is a trademark and if Liberty do not own it they may be having to pay a 3rd party (insert your favourite villian here —) some sort of commission every time they use it; and as they are about to expand the merchandising part of the business they could end up paying out quite a large sum to the mystery benefactor. This would seem as good a reason as any to change the F1 logo.
F1Codger
24th November 2017, 22:10
Oops, not benefactor but beneficiary.
Nick Wyatt (@nickwyatt)
24th November 2017, 23:23
Interesting thought!
EU000471193 has expired.
EU000554873 ‘FORMULA 1’ is owned by FORMULA ONE LICENSING B.V.
Beursplein 37, ‘Formula 1’ style in oval superimposed on figure 1, in Rotterdam, 3011AA, Netherlands and expires in June 2027
EU000770479 (TM registered in South Africa) is also owned by FORMULA ONE LICENSING B.V.
Beursplein 37, Rotterdam, 3011AA, Netherlands and expires 05 March 2018
EU000770479 is owned by the same company as above, expires 05 March 2018
EU009251802 as above, but expires June 2020.
EU010410264 ‘FORMULAONE’ as above but expires 2021
. . . and so on. Please note that I have ignored what appear to be duplicate registrations that appear to continue the ownership by the primary company until 2024, and registrations by companies like Nail Centique for cosmetic products (!)
So, if Formula One Licensing BV is owned or controlled by one BEC or the FIA, Liberty Media have to move before March next year to begin to secure part of the TM to the property they bought, or so it seems to me. I bow to superior minds like @alianora-la-canta to pick the bones out of this one!
Nick Wyatt (@nickwyatt)
24th November 2017, 23:27
Gawd! Transpose BEC to BCE. I wish wholeheartedly that WordPress would include an edit function!
Derek Barron
24th November 2017, 22:06
Who asked them to change the logo? We fans don’t want that change. This is the typical arrogance of these people.
jpvalverde85 (@jpvalverde85)
24th November 2017, 22:45
Well, if i had to guess, the new logos were drawn for Formulame 1 series.
Michael Brown (@)
24th November 2017, 23:00
To be fair, you have to have a very high IQ to understand the F1 logo. The use of negative space is extremely subtle, and without a solid grasp of visual art the effect will go right over the viewer’s head. There are also the speed lines, which are deftly woven into the logo- they draw heavily from a speeding race car. The fans understand this stuff; they have the intellectual capacity to truly appreciate the depths of this logo, to realise that it’s not just interesting- it says something deep about LIFE. As a consequence people who dislike the F1 loo truly ARE idiots- of course they wouldn’t appreciate, for instance, the coloured lines in the TV intro, which itself is a cryptic reference to a full grid of F1 cars. I’m smirking right now just imagining one of those addlepated simpletons scratching their heads in confusion as genius art unfolds itself on their television screens. What fools.. how I pity them. 😂
And yes, by the way, i DO have an F1 tattoo. And no, you cannot see it. It’s for the ladies’ eyes only- and even then they have to demonstrate that they’re within 5 IQ points of my own (preferably lower) beforehand. Nothin personnel kid 😎
Zazeems (@zazeems)
25th November 2017, 5:11
Laughing myself silly. Top notch meme usage!
Steve
25th November 2017, 2:34
Though I really don’t care if Formula 1 changes their logo, but if I had a vote it would go to the third, or the logo farthest to the right, as I seems an unanxious step away from the old boss but shows some form of continuance with the new boss, plus I think the other two try too hard and fail to make it to the checkered flag.
JT
26th November 2017, 12:50
I’ve been a creative director in advertising for over two decades, so I get the need of a new logo. It just too bad Liberty’s design team is so bad. All three choices aren’t as creative or sophisticated as the current logo. If you are going to move to new logo it should be better than the current logo. Fail