Industrial Designs in Formula 1: A Race for Legal Protection

Intellectual Property (IP) attorney Ana María Rodríguez wrote an article for The Legal Industry Reviews: Colombia on how Formula 1 illustrates the strategic value of industrial design protection. She explains that in F1, design elements such as the car's appearance, livery and distinctive aesthetic convey identity, innovation and prestige, making them legally protectable as industrial designs so long as they safeguard appearance rather than technical function. She then outlines Colombian law regarding the registration of design rights and suggests combining legal tools including trademark, trade secrets and copyright to layer protection. Overall, she notes, fast-evolving, high-competition settings such as F1 call for synchronizing product evolution with a proactive, multi-pronged IP strategy that protects both tangible and intangible assets.

READ: Industrial Designs in Formula 1: A Race for Legal Protection (Article found on page 68)