Don't let the drivers do it themselves...
Dunlop is offering motorsport fans a chance to design the livery for one of the GT2 Aston Martin Vantages racing at the Le Mans 24hrs this year - and we reckon the PH community has got what it takes to come up with a winner.
So if you fancy your chances, have a read of the press release below or go straight to the competition website for the necessary templates and the design brief.
We thought we'd cracked it, but apparently orange and blue has been done already...
Competition Press Release:
Cutting edge tyre company Dunlop is offering amateur and professional artists from across the UK an amazing opportunity: to design the livery for one of the top cars in this year's world famous Le Mans 24 Hours sportscar race.
JMW Motorsport will be entering its official factory-supported GT2 Aston Martin Vantage - capable of 200mph-plus - in this summer's classic Le Mans race driven by British racers Rob Bell and Tim Sugden (left and right photograph). Together, JMW and Dunlop were world GT2 champions in both 2007 and 2008. Dunlop is the most successful tyre manufacturer ever in the history of the Le Mans 24 Hours race with an unrivalled 34 outright victories in the legendary event.
Today, Dunlop is launching its special European Livery Competition. Entries are now open until 7 May for artists from all over Europe - including the UK - to dream up their own livery for its Aston Martin sportscar. Other countries participating include Austria, Benelux, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain.
The top four designs from each country will then be entered into a pan-European semi-final. A public vote online will shortlist those 28 semi-finalists down to just five with the ultimate winner being announced at the Le Mans 24 Hours in early June. There, the winning design will be unveiled on the JMW Aston Martin before the world's motor racing media just days before heading on track in front of an estimated 300,000 trackside spectators at Le Mans. It will also be seen by millions more worldwide on television.
Furthermore, the winner will receive a once in a lifetime opportunity - a visit to the holy grail of car design - the Centro Stile of Pininfarina in Turin, Italy as well as a substantial cash prize.
Dunlop UK's James Bailey comments: "It's the chance of a lifetime for one artist to really show their creative flair in front of a global audience and we very much hope the 2010 winner will come from the UK. The 2009 competition attracted almost 200 entries and this year we expect that figure to increase again. Ultimately, we're looking for a creative design that catches the eye and stands out for the crowds and also reflects Dunlop's winning pedigree at such an iconic event as the Le Mans 24 Hours. We know there are some fantastic artists in the UK and Ireland - whether already established or coming through the ranks at various schools or colleges - and we very much look forward to seeing how they tackle what is a very unique challenge for this very special competition."
To take part in the national competition, entrants should visit www.livery-competition.dunlop.eu and download the design templates, logos and full designer brief for the 2010 Dunlop Livery Competition (only residents of the participating countries are eligible to enter their design to the competition). This dedicated website includes the latest social media applications, such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace and will also host a live web cast of the unveiling of the Dunlop JMW Aston Martin straight from the Le Mans circuit.
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