Formula 1 is having a fashion moment, and two iconic brands are making sure they’re at the center of it.
Audi, which is preparing for its highly anticipated F1 debut in 2026, has locked in a multi-year partnership with adidas as the official apparel partner for the future Audi F1 Team.
With F1 booming in recent years, the timing couldn’t be better, especially with younger and more diverse fans who see the sport as part of culture and lifestyle, not just racing.
For Audi, which acquired Sauber in 2024 and will enter F1 as a works team with its own power unit, teaming up with adidas makes all types of strategic sense. For adidas on the other hand, the deal is another step into motorsport after their recent partnership with Mercedes, which shows that the brand is betting big on F1.
“adidas and Audi have decades of collaboration in top-level sports – built on shared values and the desire to inspire through performance,” Gernot Döllner, CEO of AUDI AG and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sauber Motorsport AG, said in a release. He noted that this new chapter is not only about innovation and performance but also about how both brands show up culturally.
In February 2026, before the first race even begins, adidas and Audi will roll out the adidas x Audi F1 collection worldwide. It will feature technical apparel for drivers, engineers, mechanics, and crew that can handle the demands of racing. But fans will also get access to lifestyle pieces designed to bring motorsport style into everyday life.
“The fact that we are shaping our brand’s entry into the premier class of motorsport together with adidas underscores the great trust and appreciation we have for our collaboration,” Döllner added.
Bjørn Gulden, CEO of adidas, emphasized the cultural significance of the partnership: “We are very proud to partner with the future Audi F1 team and support their debut into the highest level of competition for the sport. Bringing together the iconic four rings and our three stripes to the 2026 paddock marks an exciting new chapter in motorsport.”
Gulden continued: “As part of our ongoing commitment to F1, this partnership showcases our focus on collaborating with brands rooted in shared beliefs and innovative perspectives, on and off the track. We are very much looking forward to unveil all that we have planned as we look to enable the drivers and the team to succeed and engage a new generation of motorsport fans!”
Formula 1’s transformation into a cultural phenomenon is still unfolding, but for a sport that once felt closed off, particularly for Black and younger audiences, collaborations like this open the door for all.