There is also an issue of teams running in the same series.  So each teammate will have distinctive livery so the rest of the team can differentiate the cars.  I was reminded of this when a viewer twitted a similar question to the commentators in the wee hours of LeMans a few years ago.

Good point. It's not historic racing. On the other hand, the Touring Car Series features contemporary cars and I think the cars look great. I don't know what it is about the Seven Club cars, maybe it's the rattle can wheels & grills.

Here's a Mini (pic) with non-traditional colors and covered with modern day decals that manages to look pretty nice. The Seven cars seem to be going for a certain look—not very attractive in my opinion.

I was kind of thinking the same about it no being vintage. Then I realized how long it has been since a classic was built. I realize they have Vintage/Historic racing on both sides of the pond. While I have been involved with a number of US vintage cars and spent hours on line looking for period pictures to get them right. I have enjoyed looking at the cars in the 100 mini and mini world mags I have picked up. What other car has been a platform for a current racing series coming up on 60 years? Not everyone's taste is or should be the same. Some are very well thought out done. Steve (CTR)

It's not Classic or Historic racing, it's current racing with sponsors hence the modern liveries.

Numbers are numbers as far as I know - there are regs about size and backdrop in some series.

I enjoy watching classic Mini racing footage. I’ve collected dozens of videos on Youtube and often loop them on a big flat screen TV in my garage [link]. Makes a nice backdrop whilst wrenching on Rosebud. One of my favorite sources of racing footage is the “St. Mary’s Trophy” series at Goodwood. The Mini Seven Racing Club is another large contributor—lots of current videos. And of course there’s our own CanAm Mini Challenge.

However, there’s something oddly unsatisfying about the Mini Seven series. I couldn’t put my finger on it until recently. No disrespect for the expert drivers or excellent head-to-head competition. I simply don’t like the non-traditional livery of the cars. The questionable choice of body colors along with the day-glow fluorescent grills and wheels is off-putting. They might as well be a bunch of beat up Honda Civics going around in circles on a dirt track at the local fairground.

The classic Mini is a great looking car. It’s a shame to tramp them up with a lime green rattle can. Perhaps I’m grousing about this minor irritation because nothing is currently broken on Rosebud. I’m sure she’ll need my attention soon enough and this too will pass.

Bonus Question: Re: Racing number decals. It was my understanding that a square number box indicated a rally car, while a round number box indicated a road-racing car. Any truth to this notion?