F1 Singapore GP: The Story Behind Audi's Special Livery

The Audi Revolut F1 Team has unveiled a special livery for the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix. It will be the outfit's first night race in Formula 1, and they'll be showcasing a different side of Audi this weekend.

Audi normally presents the R26 in the color combination of Titanium Silver grey, Carbon Black, and Lava Red. It's a design that drew mixed reactions when the team first unveiled it early this year, as it lacks the vibrant colors that some people love in an F1 car.

But for the race at Marina Bay, Audi decided to loosen up on that formula without completely abandoning it. 

Audi has developed a Singapore interpretation of Titanium Silver Grey branding, combining it with a traditional Peranakan pattern. Peranakan culture is a Straits-born Chinese tradition that's known for ornate tilework and porcelain facades.

It has a blue shimmer that takes inspiration from Singapore's changing light, particularly the transition from daylight to twilight, and then the illuminated city at night. 

The team's intended effect for this livery is for it to look like it's catching the lights of Marina Bay.

The R26's new livery is the centerpiece of Audi's wider campaign called "The Art of Influence". The colors will also carry over to their drivers' race suits, and the campaign includes Adidas' limited-edition collection of caps, graphic shirts, sweatshirts, and Adilette slides.

The last two races (Azerbaijan GP and Bahrain GP in Malaysia) for Audi have produced disappointing results. Nico Hulkenberg came painstakingly close to finishing in points, taking the checkered flag in P11 in both of those races.

To add more insult to injury, the FIA also fined Audi for an unsafe release in one of their pit stops. The controller, during a Hulkenberg pit stop, mistakenly hit the green light. A mechanic was still making adjustments on the front wing of the car when Hulkenberg saw the green light and moved. He slightly hit the mechanic, but the good thing is that the latter seemed okay right after.

With no points to show in the span of two weekends, Audi has failed to make up ground on Haas, which they are chasing for seventh place in the Teams' Standings. Moreover, Williams are not that far behind in ninth place, making steady improvements on their car as of late.

Here's how the midfield battle between Haas, Audi, and Williams is taking shape:

Audi just might perform better in Singapore than in Baku and Sepang. The narrow, walled-in circuit filled with low-speed corners at Marina Bay could take away some of Audi's engine deficit. 

The key is for Hulkenberg or Gabriel Bortoleto to deliver strong performances in the two qualifying sessions (it's a Sprint weekend). Track position is very important here, and the Audis would want to get ahead of Haas and Williams before the race even starts.