Tobacco sponsorship was an integral part of the colors of Formula 1 cars for many decades. We will never forget Ayrton Senna´s McLaren painted in Marlboro colors or the John Player Special Lotus cars.
However, here we will talk about the first Formula 1 cars that were painted with the colors of a tobacco brand.
That car was a Brabham entered by Team Gunston in the 1968 South African Grand Prix. However, Lotus was the first works team to introduce a tobacco-sponsored car in F1, with the Gold Leaf colours in their car in the 1968 Spanish Grand Prix.