Mercedes unveil striking special livery for unusual Bahrain Grand Prix

The constructors’ championship leaders have chosen to use more turquoise accents on the car, Petronas' signature colour.

Petronas is a Malaysian company, so the decision was made to honour the sponsor at its home race. "A special Petronas livery to celebrate Formula 1’s return to Malaysia!" the team posted on social media.

From the front wing to the engine cover, the iconic turquoise colour takes over. This replaces the usual silver on the front of the car. The colour is now also visible on top of the sidepods, which are usually silver as well.

Mercedes and Petronas have worked together since their return to the sport in 2010, with the company’s turquoise accents always present on the car.

Formula 1 returns to Malaysia for the first time since 2017 this weekend. Due to tensions in the Middle East, the Bahrain Grand Prix could not take place in Sakhir, but this weekend’s event in Sepang will still be called ‘The Bahrain Grand Prix '.

In 2017, Max Verstappen managed to win at the Sepang International Circuit. This season, the Dutchman has yet to win a race in Formula 1. Mercedes, on the other hand, are having a very strong year. The Silver Arrows have built a dominant car and lead both the Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships.

The most recent race, the Azerbaijan GP, also went to Mercedes. George Russell narrowly held off Verstappen by 0.196 seconds, claiming the eighth victory of his career.

Giving his take on the upcoming race, Mercedes team principal and CEO Toto Wolff said: "This weekend has extra significance for us because of our long-standing relationship with Petronas.

"It's fantastic to see Formula One returning to Sepang and we should also recognise the effort that has gone into making this Grand Prix happen. It has required strong collaboration between Malaysia and Bahrain, and that deserves credit."

He added: "Once the cars are on track, though, our focus is on the job ahead. Sepang is a demanding circuit that asks every question of the car.

"You need performance in the high-speed corners, good traction, strong tyre management and consistency in hot, challenging conditions. It is one of the more complete tests on the calendar.

"We are bringing an update package this weekend, and that is an important step for us. At the more representative circuits in recent races, we have not been where we want to be.

"Monza and Baku presented unique challenges, but on the more conventional tracks we have not been in the fight for pole position. We know that and we are working hard to change it.

"The update is hopefully another step forward, but there are no guarantees in F1. The stopwatch is always the final judge.

"Our focus is on understanding the package quickly, executing the weekend well, and aiming to put ourselves in the fight at the front."