When international motorsport recommenced after WW.11 the competition
was between nations and this was as important as the drivers championship.
Before the war Hitler had promoted German superiority through motor
racing and this meant the Mercedes and Auto-Unions were supported by the
state to defeat the rest of the world.
It was agreed that teams would enter under their National Colours ( yes
with an 'u' ) and so it was; US was white with a blie trim, either a
colour band around the grille/air inlet or as others have said,
Cunningham displayed the blue as a stripe.
Thus we have British Racing Green, although Jaguar, Aston Martin and
Healey all had their own shade.
Australia was a British colony and so we had the basic car in B.R.G with
a gold band - see Jack Brabham's Repco-Brabhams.
The colour was as per the country of the entrant.
That is why Stirling Moss was never able to win the championship as he
always chose to stick with British made and entered cars. When Tony
Vanderval ( of bearing fame) ditched the poorly organised B.R.M. (
British Racing Motors) he purchased a Ferrari, painted it green and
raced until he developed the championship winning Vanwall.
Then came US style advertising and................... say no more.
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Healeys@autox.team.net
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