Toto Wolff has explained Mercedes' livery change for the 2022 season, stating that both silver and black are now part of the team's "DNA". Mercedes switched from a silver to black livery two years ago in a show of support for Lewis Hamilton's endorsement of the 'Black Lives Matter' movement. Soon afterwards, Mercedes launched Accelerate 25, a detailed five-year programme to become a more diverse and inclusive team. When the covers came off Mercedes' new F1 car on Friday, a return to a predominantly silver livery was confirmed, though the design still retains black elements.
Both silver and black are now part of Mercedes' DNA
Speaking at the launch of the W13, Wolff talked through the livery change and highlighted that silver and black will be Mercedes' official colours from now on. "The black livery was a clear intent and a clear demonstration of our mission to become a more diverse and inclusive team," said Wolff. "It has become part of our DNA, but the silver colour of the Silver Arrows is as much our DNA, it's our history. "As a team we have grown from the Silver Arrows to slowly becoming a more diverse and inclusive team and therefore our colours going forward will be silver and black."
Mercedes continuing to push for greater diversity
Accelerate 25 committed Mercedes to ensuring at least 25 per cent of all new employees who joined the team were from under-represented groups until the end of 2025. In year one of the programme, that figure reached 38 per cent. Meanwhile, female employees have risen from 12 to 14 per cent of the team's workforce and employees from minority ethnic groups rose from three to six per cent across 2021. "Increasing the diversity of our team isn't about meeting a quota, it's about recruiting the very best people regardless of ethnicity, gender, religion and sexual orientation," added Wolff. "Our work inspiring people who might otherwise think a career in engineering, technology or motorsport isn't for them will widen the talent pool we have available – a diverse workforce drives performance."
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