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Mercedes has reportedly lost sponsorship from motorsports safety manufacturer OMP Racing. The Italian firm's name has been removed from the team's official sponsors' list as per @decalspotters on Twitter.
The two organizations have been partners since the 2017 F1 season. The Italian company supplied safety harnesses for Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. As per @decalspotters on Twitter, that partnership has come to an end with the company's name disappearing from the official sponsorship list of the team.
Headquartered in Italy, OMP Racing is best known for its racing safety equipment such as safety harnesses and racing suits. The company has been associated with F1 and other motorsports for several years, apparently topping a poll for the most-used safety harnesses across teams in 2016.
It is still unclear as to who will be the new safety supplier for the team.
The Brackley-based team also cut ties with major sponsors Bose and Epson after a successful partnership of eight years in the sport. Many Twitter users claim Toto Wolff is to blame for Bose's departure. The Austrian team principal was spotted throwing his headphones in a fit of anger during last year's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. It is, however, highly unlikely that the team cut ties with the headphone company over such a small matter.
Mercedes will reportedly switch back to iconic silver livery in 2022
The 'Silver Arrows', as the team is known, have used black livery on their cars for a couple of seasons now. Reports, however, suggest the team is all set to return to the iconic silver color, which has been synonymous with their brand for many years. The team switched to black livery for the 2020 and 2021 seasons in support of the Black Lives Matter campaign.
The team teased a silver livery featuring car #63, with fans speculating it was an official confirmation.
Lewis Hamilton was asked about the possible switch to the silver color in a press conference before the Russian Grand Prix in 2021. He said:
“It is originally the Silver Arrows, and I did expect when I asked if we could make the car black last year in terms of the symbolism, what the intent would be moving forward in terms of support. I wasn’t expecting it to last long and we carried it into a second season which is awesome. If it goes back, it will be a nice change and it doesn’t deter us from the changes we are making internally and we continue to push for diversity, even working with all our partners.”
Only time will tell whether the team will return to their iconic silver livery, carrying on the legacy of the 'Silver Arrows' in 2022.
