The team devised four possible options, with the winner of the public vote to be used in the cars for the Singapore, Japan and Qatar Grands Prix.

Gulf are keen to repeat their popular one-off arrangement with McLaren at the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix, but with voting and a series of different races adding a twist.

The four liveries are called “Traditional,” “Modern,” “Visionary,” and “Bolder Than Bold.”

The first is reminiscent of the one used by McLaren and is intended to reflect the Gulf’s early years with Ford and Porsche in sports car racing, while the other three are more modern interpretations.

Williams team boss James Walls said he would prefer a version that reflects Gulf history.

“It was a time when I looked back at motorsport and it was a good time,” Vowles said. “The race car is more important than anything else. The Gulf livery, the GT40 and the Porsche, are iconic.

“So working with the Sounders and having the opportunity to do the same with Williams, I’m excited about that.

“It just represents our movement. It represents our history. We have two brands with a huge legacy coming together. I think that’s why the colors work. It’s not the colors themselves but the nature of the heritage behind them .”

Williams FW45 Contemporary Gulf livery

Photography: Williams

Vowles said the more modern take on the color of the bay was meant to reflect changes in F1’s demographics.

“F1 does have a diverse audience now,” he said. “So you have iconic brands that represent history.

“But you also have really modern twists in different forms. I think that’s really the demographic in F1 now.

“That’s what I appreciate about F1. F1 has grown tremendously in the last 10 years. If you look at the demographics, it’s not just an aging population now. The growth is actually happening in women and younger age groups.

“And (the uniforms) are very different, but similar. It’s hard to explain, but I would say they are modern, interpreted in a different way.”

Williams driver Alex Albon said that, like his team boss, he preferred the traditional look.

“Legacy is great for me,” he said. “I’m a simple guy, and I like the clean lines. I used to love the business, even the racing helmets I used as a kid. I used to love all the spin and slope changes and all that stuff.

“And I’ve basically transitioned to a drab helmet. I’ve matured!”