In the world of Formula One—where Rolex sponsors races, Tommy Hilfiger finances teams, and drivers fund tables at the Met Gala—fashion has always played an essential role in the success of the sport. “These two worlds have never been totally apart,” says Rocco Iannone, the creative director of Ferrari’s Milan-based fashion label. “Both are driven by deep passion.”
Yet anyone who follows both F1 and fashion can see that the relationship between the two enterprises has fundamentally changed in recent years. Today, the latter’s role involves more than just a brand name embossed on the side of a car or printed trackside on a safety barrier. It’s personal. These days, fans of a driver may spend as much time watching their performances on the track as they do researching the outfits they wear in the paddock or to media events, if not more. On F1 TikTok, you are just as likely to see a compilation of WAGs’ (wives and girlfriends in F1 speak) looks during a race weekend as you are iconic radio messages by the now-retired 2007 world champion Kimi Räikkönen.