Honda F1 Goes Green With Car Revamp

In the first initiative of its kind in the sport, the Honda Racing F1 team is
dropping all sponsors’ logos from its cars for the coming season, replacing them
with a single image of the earth as part of a campaign to raise awareness of
environmental issues.

The idea is the brainchild of 19 Entertainment chief Simon Fuller who was
hired by Honda F1 in January last year to re-evaluate the team’s approach to
sponsorship and commercial partnerships.

The strategy has seen the creation of a website – www.myearthdream.com – through which
anyone who wishes will have the opportunity to have their name on the car, make
a pledge to make a lifestyle change to improve the environment and make a
donation to an environmental charity.

Under the concept of ‘our car is your car’, each name will form a tiny
individual pixel which will help build the image of planet earth on the car.
Each name will be visible on the website when you make the pledge or under a
microscope on the car.

Honda F1’s existing sponsors, including Seiko and Ray Ban, are all backing
the move which has also attracted Universal Music and Gatorade to sign up as new
partners to the team. In addition, Fila, IBM, Instron, Oliver Sweeney, Perkin
Elmer, Showa Denko, TUV and GF Agie Charmilles have joined the roster of team
partners and suppliers.

Nick Fry, chief executive officer, Honda Racing F1 Team commented: ‘Climate
change is probably the single biggest issue facing the global community and F1
is not immune from it. On the contrary we believe that F1 with its huge global
profile and cutting edge technology can play an important role in not only
highlighting the issues but also playing our part in developing solutions.

‘In addition, the FIA recognises the opportunity for F1 to showcase
innovative technologies for the benefit of society for the long term. For
example, by 2009, devices for energy recovery will be in place on the cars.’