Interstate livery rallies for Ford’s race campaign

The livery for Ford’s 2002 World Rally Championship campaign was unveiled on 19 January, designed by Interstate for a ‘mid-£20 000’ fee.

The livery for the Ford Rallye Sport team incorporates sponsor Martini’s distinctive stripe, but the ‘sweeping curve’ of last year has been swapped for a ‘much more aggressive, fast-moving logo that links the surfaces [bonnet, sides, roof] of the [Ford Focus] cars’, says Interstate creative director Nigel Gray.

This year the livery design has had to account for the potential addition of a second sponsor’s logo, temporarily occupied by the Ford marque, which has pushed the Martini stripe high up on the car, says Gray.

The corporate blue of telecoms company Telefonica, the team’s main sponsor, has been replaced by the richer, deeper ‘performance blue’ of the Ford team.

Aside from the dark blue front and rear, the remainder of the livery is applied as vinyl stickers, which are stripped after every race in the 14-leg season.

‘The livery had to be relatively easy to apply. Mechanics should not determine design,’ says Gray.

Interstate was appointed in November 2001 to the project, which forms part of Ford’s ongoing relationship with the London consultancy.