Honda's F1 Racer Sports Earth Livery

During late January, Honda unveiled its Formula One race car for the 2007season that Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button will be driving. The RA 107 that showed up at Catalunya for testing sported a simple black paintjob with a couple of key suppliers and sponsor logos plastered on the nose. Having worked on aerodynamics, crash protection and weight reduction, the biggest announcement since that time has been the official livery that the car will wear during the next season; it's a shocker, but for a good cause.

Since the ‘60s, Formula One cars have more or less been high-speed billboards for any firm (or, for that matter anything) that someone has a desire to advertise. Instead of the Lucky Strike cigarette livery that the car wore last year, this year's incarnation is a huge image of the Earth. The so-called Earth-livery is a part of Honda's initiative to create awareness on the state of our planet's environment, particularly climate change. Honda believes that through Formula One's immense reach, that it can effectively communicate this message. The brand also believes that its use oftechnology in F1 can be developed, tested, and passed down to become future energy-saving benefits.

The only sponsor visible on the entire car is Bridgestone, whose trademark “B” is located on the nose cone three times (visible from both sides and the front). This doesn't mean that the Honda racing team has dropped its sponsors; in fact the opposite is true. Both Universal Music, the world's largest music company, and Gatorade are both keen on the idea, and have been added to Honda's roster, alongside the likes of Fila, IBM, Instron, Oliver Sweeney and others.

Honda also used the car's massive carbon fiber spoiler to advertise the website www.myearthdream.com, which was launched alongside the car. Visitors can have their name and an environmental pledge (eg. Recycle paper, share one's car, install energy-saving light bulbs, etc.) written

on the car in a tiny little pixel when a donation is made. Each pixel will contribute to create an image of the Earth, though, in order to see it, you'll need a microscope. To show its pledge to the cause, the RA 107 will continue to wear its livery the entire season, and not just one or two races.

Honda is widely acknowledged as one of the world's greenest automakers, not only the products that it makes, but in every aspect, from design to manufacturing, to recycling. Though Formula One cars aren't exactly the pinnacle of efficiency, Honda's 2009-season race car will employ some form of energy recovering device as per FIA regulations. Various automakers have been installing these so-called “energy regeneration” devices on hybrid cars, and more recently, non-hybrid cars. One thing is for sure, it's great to see that racing is taking up environmental responsibility in multiple forms.

Catch the car in action during the first race of the season in Melbourne on March 18th.