Someone, somewhere asked about this, and its interesting, anyway.

Where did British Racing Green come from?

Way back when (even before I was born), different countires competing in Gran Prix and other international races agreed to paint their cars a different colors, each country. Made it easier to identify which was which as they whizzed by. Britian got green, Germany red, France was blue I believe, and Italy (what a surprise) was red. I think Spain was yellow. The US was white.

The story, as I understand it, is that since there were often several teams from a different country racing, each used the basic color of the country but either varied the hue (sort of hard to do with Silver or Red or White) or, more typically, used stripes of a different color. Hence "racing stripes": in the 50s the Cunnighams at LeMans were white with blue stripes, the Cadillacs (yes, how far we've fallen, they were contenders with stock-based cars in the 50s) were white with green stripes, etc.

But there is apparently something more to it at least in Britain. Apparently one marque was designated to wear the "official" BRG color. it they were the leading race team or represented the "national interest" and other makes of that country varied the hue slightly from that. I notice for example, that 1930s racing Aston Martins were green but not nearly as dark as the BRG Bentleys.

Apparently there has been some sort of passing of the baton on British Racing Green recently, from Jag to Aston.

See http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns13803.html

 

Hi Lee,

Umm, very interesting.... I've not long seen a T.V. programme on this subject. As far as I can remember British Racing Green has never been one perticular shade and I suppose that nowadays any racing team could race their cars in British Racing Green, whether they are British or not?

The first grand-prix racing team NOT to race in the national colour was Colin Chapman's Lotus. He started the current trend of racing in sponsors colours (Gold Leaf / Red & Gold I think).

 

Yeah, it was just an agreement that most folks followed. I know some of Chapman's early F1 cars were green, but he did start the whole thing of going to the colorful advertiser colors. Anyway, BRG is one of my favorite colors although I realize everyone seems to have their own interpretation of exactly how dark a dark green it is.

 

Yes Lee, I like it so dark that from a distance you would think it was black, but when the sunlight hit it you would see it was in fact green!

[sm=devilgrin.gif]

 

i am also a fan of the super dark green...[8D]