Haas has revealed the first image of one of its cars following the removal of former title sponsor Rich Energy.
The split between the pair was announced following the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Rich Energy was the team’s first title sponsor, and the VF-19s raced in the company’s black and gold colour scheme.Haas’s cars originally featured Rich Energy’s stag logo as well, but this was removed at the Canadian Grand Prix after the energy drink brand lost a case alleging the logo infringed the copyright of cycle manufacturer Whyte Bikes.
While the Rich Energy name has now also disappeared, some of the cars’ gold colouring remains in an image published by Haas on their website.
Prior to signing Rich Energy, Haas ran in the grey and red colours of machine tool building company Haas Automation, which team owner Gene Haas promotes through his F1 presence.
Haas has also removed Rich Energy from its official team name ahead of this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix.
the split between the pair began after a social media post from Rich Energy in July claimed it had ceased its sponsorship of the team due to “poor performance”. Although it later retracted the statement, Haas announced last week the pair had “amicably agreed to end their partnership together in the FIA Formula One World Championship with immediate effect”.
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bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
16th September 2019, 0:27
Somewhat disappointing, i’m sure they have their reasons, but could we not have thrown a charity on there for one round? Or just something different? It just feels like a wasted opportunity.
BasCB (@bascb)
16th September 2019, 12:30
To me the only didsappointment is that they didn’t make the shark fin the same silvery steel look as the Haas logo.
To me this car looks a LOT better than the messy gold and black it was. And while it may be a bit monochrome, remember the bland grey they used the season before that!
bosyber (@bosyber)
16th September 2019, 13:27
Indeed @bascb, the gold clashes with the steel/silver look on the Haas logo, as it always did, but, now with no reason for the gold, it would be much better to just match the logo. Oh, and a red ‘go faster’ stripe maybe somewhere, they know they need that, especially for the races.
Mark Visser
16th September 2019, 1:16
Does anyone else find the tire asymmetry just looks wrong?
Mog
16th September 2019, 2:10
Yes. First thing i noted.
Must have been a fish eye lens
Nick Wyatt (@nickwyatt)
16th September 2019, 11:11
Yes, the camera is too close to the car. Should have been a few metres further away to avoid seeing so much curvature – but maybe there just wasn’t enough room.
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
16th September 2019, 8:49
Maybe they photoshopped the wheels on to the car.
Ram
16th September 2019, 1:57
It still looks like a rich energy Haas paint job. I’m sure they are thanking Haas for the free advertising.
rpaco
16th September 2019, 11:05
Rich Energy do not exist!
Ram
16th September 2019, 18:09
right… but their paint job does.
Phylyp (@phylyp)
16th September 2019, 2:26
Is there an FIA rule (or contractual statement with FOM) that a car’s livery cannot change significantly in a season (apart from one-off weekends)?
Or did Dallara/Haas stock on too much black and gold paint that needs to be used?
A reversion to the standard Haas colours would have been a better indication that the two parties had parted ways, instead of this pseudo-Lotus scheme.
That said, I like the cleaner look, and the car number is easier to read on the fin.
Ross
16th September 2019, 6:42
While not huge costs; if they’d gone a dramatic difference there would be a huge amount of marketing material, pit coverings, hospitality centres to redecorate, rebranding completely would be a nightmare mid-season, this way they can just delete the logo of whatever company they were sponsored by. Given the number of races left this year, and the amount HAAS need to be focusing on anything but branding, I’m kind of glad they haven’t spent too much time on it.
Phylyp (@phylyp)
16th September 2019, 7:09
Yeah, that’s a very good point, Ross, I hadn’t thought of that when I made my comment.
Gavin Campbell
16th September 2019, 9:58
Also all the parts will be painted black and gold – the various sponsor logos are sticker type things that are applied after the fact. It would of meant generating all new body work for the car or at least repainting and its probably in transit (and also the team keep bouncing around different specifications of car!).
anon
16th September 2019, 7:05
@phylyp, the regulations state that significant changes in the livery of a car during the season need to be approved by the F1 Commission.
Phylyp (@phylyp)
16th September 2019, 7:07
Thank you, anon
faulty (@faulty)
16th September 2019, 3:35
No bald eagle?, no stars and stripes?
Son I Am Dissapoint.
Phylyp (@phylyp)
16th September 2019, 4:28
It’s more subtle, @faulty
What’s the colour of crude oil? Black.
What’s petroleum also known as? Liquid Gold.
There you go. Murica.
JC
16th September 2019, 6:31
Haas will be gunning for an upturn in form.
bosyber (@bosyber)
16th September 2019, 13:28
AH, you guys, thanks.
Roth Man (@rdotquestionmark)
16th September 2019, 7:04
That looks fantastic.
Hakk The Rack
16th September 2019, 11:33
It’s still Rich Energy car. Like those Marlboro McLarens raced in Britain or Germany where tabacco advertisement was forbidden.
regs (@regs)
16th September 2019, 11:54
Wonder if they received anything at all from Rich Energy.
JR Love (@dermechaniker)
16th September 2019, 15:15
A headache?
Craig Simons
16th September 2019, 13:33
Feel like they’ve missed a trick by not putting Pirelli decals on the front wing endplates. Would have been a simple way to make the livery appear less bear, without having to acquire any new sponsors.
Craig Simons
16th September 2019, 22:35
*Less bare.
I forgot how to English.
Ghosted
17th September 2019, 11:04
Its not called Rich energy anymore