Luxurious Manufacturers Race to Captivate the Subsequent Technology of F1 Followers

This 12 months has been a frenetic season in Method 1 (F1). The Constructors’ Championship is sealed for McLaren. Nonetheless, the extra thrilling Driver’s Championship stays open, with a three-way battle between the 2 McLaren drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and reigning world champion, Pink Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen. The ultimate race might be held on the Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, tomorrow night. In response to information from Nielsen Sports activities, greater than 826.5 million persons are anticipated to tune in stay to the ultimate race of the 75^th season of F1globally.

The Nielsen Sports activities tasks 13 million F1 followers in India. The fandom has seen a big improve as a result of Netflix docu-series, Method 1: Drive To Survive, which has been renewed for its eighth season in 2026. The present has 8.7 instances greater demand than a median TV collection. The Brad Pitt-starrer F1: The Film amplified this additional with roughly USD 125 million box-office collections in India.

Ayrton Senna wore TAG Heuer S/el Chronograph between 1989 and 1993 | pic: TAG Heuer

“The game is embedded in our tradition now, through streaming, storytelling, and social media, and that’s serving to extra individuals join,” mentioned Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Method 1, primarily based on the 2025 International F1 Fan Survey, which shared that three in 4 new F1 followers are ladies, and Gen Z helps form the rhythm of contemporary fandom. On this new period of F1, audiences are extra linked and engaged with the motorsport that has all the time been the epitome of luxurious. Taniya Mehta of Projekt Podium, a motorsport content material creator, gives an alternate perspective, “Individuals who have been watching F1 going again to Michael Schumacher’s time, love the truth that it was very underrated and uber luxury-oriented. Because the Netflix present and movie, it would not appear luxurious anymore, which takes away from the truth that F1 is among the world’s richest sports activities. A number of the model associations are making a mockery out of the advertising.”

The most important flip of occasions was when French luxurious conglomerate, LVMH, signed a 10-year take care of F1 to be the worldwide companion for the motorsport involving LVMH Maisons of Louis Vuitton, Moët Hennessy, and TAG Heuer. “In motorsport as in style, watchmaking or wines and spirits, each element counts on the trail to success. Each in our workshops and on circuits all over the world, it’s this incessant search to interrupt boundaries that evokes our imaginative and prescient, and that is the that means that we wish to carry to this nice and distinctive partnership between Method 1 and our Group,” talked about Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEO, LVMH Group.

Lando Norris, F1 driver for McLaren Racing, with TUMI | McLaren Velocity Backpack launched in 2025 | Pic: TUMI

Indian F1 followers are actually uncovered to world luxurious manufacturers, and so they even have the aspiration and urge for food to make these high-value purchases. Mehta says, “My curiosity for these partnering manufacturers has elevated since I’ve seen F1 drivers selling it. Many of the sponsor stickers on the automobile intrigue me to grasp the collaboration between the racing groups and the manufacturers.” That is bolstered by the 2025 International F1 Fan Survey, which states 76% of respondents imagine sponsors improve the F1 expertise. One in three is extra prone to buy from F1 companions, with favourability rising to 40% amongst Gen Z respondents.

There are additionally cross-brand collabs and particular version collections with numerous F1 groups which have been launched in recent times. In 2023, life-style and journey model TUMI collaborated with McLaren to have a good time 60 years of the racing staff and supercar producer, with a particular version assortment. Persevering with the affiliation this 12 months, the TUMI | McLaren assortment makes use of CX6 carbon fibre with signature McLaren Papaya accents and the McLaren Senna GTR-inspired compression strap. Trend model Tommy Hilfiger has had a longstanding affiliation with F1, from sponsoring Crew Lotus in 1991 to turning into Mercedes-AMG Petronas’s sponsor in 2018. Final 12 months, the model launched a limited-edition capsule assortment for the motoring staff designed by artist  Ruth. Subsequent 12 months, Hilfiger is associating with the brand new 11^th staff on the grid, Cadillac Method 1, in a multi-year partnership because the staff’s official attire companion and life-style sponsor.

Toto Wolff, CEO and Crew Principal, Mercedes F1, sporting IWC Schaffhausen’s Large Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber XPL on the 2025 Singapore Grand Prix | Pic: IWC Schaffhausen

Luxurious watch manufacturers have been naturally aligned with the strict timekeeping necessities of F1. Whereas Rolex was the official timekeeper for F1 until 2024, the mantle now rests with TAG Heuer. It was first related to motorsport in 1969. TAG Heuer has additionally been the official companion and timekeeper of the Oracle Pink Bull Racing Method 1 staff since 2016. Equally, IWC Schaffhausen, the Swiss luxurious watch producer, has been the official engineering companion for Mercedes-AMG since 2013. This 12 months, the watchmaker, together with Laureus Sport for Good and Bonhams, auctioned one in every of a restricted version of 100 items of the Large Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorber XPL Toto Wolff x Mercedes-AMG Petronas Method One Crew. Wolff was seen carrying it on the gruelling Singapore Grand Prix race in October.

The long-term impression of vehement model associations is but to be understood, shares Mehta. “Many Indian followers find yourself watching the highlights as a result of it’s a sizzling subject proper now. This season has been nice. I don’t understand how impactful it’s going to be when the season is being dominated by one driver, like in 2022 and 2023. It’s slightly troublesome to gauge if it’s only a pattern or it’s right here to remain,” she provides. In the end, all of it comes right down to how the season pans out and the way shut the competitors is.