The Rise of Clothing & Beauty Brand Partnerships in F1 Academy

You will have heard of F1 Academy from our previous blog posts, but have you ever wondered how some drivers are supported by teams that don’t exist in Formula 1? At first glance, it may seem confusing to see drivers backed by brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Wella Professionals, or Charlotte Tilbury. So, how do brand partnerships work in F1 Academy, and how have clothing and cosmetic companies been on the rise as sponsors? 

F1 Academy is currently in its third season after its initiation in 2023 by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and its director, Susie Wolff. Meant to provide female drivers with racing experience and support their journey to higher levels of racing series, F1 Academy is undoubtedly forging paths and opportunities for the next generation of female talent. Like most racing series, F1 Academy drivers belong to teams, including Prema Racing, Rodin Motorsport, Hitech GTR, Campos Racing, MP Motorsport and ART Grand Prix, but a mix of individual brands (including all ten F1 teams) support each of the 18 drivers – hence, the difference between what team a driver belongs to and who they are supported by is import to note.

Since the inauguration three years ago, three new non-F1 team-associated brands have entered partnerships with F1 Academy: Charlotte Tilbury, Tommy Hilfiger, and Wella Professionals. All three are either clothing or beauty brands, and each upholds its brand image through a distinct approach to empowering female drivers while collectively contributing to the shared goal of strengthening female presence in motorsports. 

Tommy Hilfiger

With their entry into F1 in 1991 for Team Lotus, Tommy Hilfiger made quite the entrance with their eye-catching tricolour logo on the car and teamwear. Since then, Tommy Hilfiger has been widely known as the Official Apparel Partner for the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula 1 Team from the 2018-2024 seasons, sponsoring drivers including Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, and Valtteri Bottas. 

The brand’s commitment to motorsports continued with its entry into F1 Academy as the Official Partner in late February 2024. The partnership is well-fitting, as the two teams announced that they will collaborate to “raise the profile of the series” in hopes of attracting a greater global audience to support a new generation of female talent in motorsport. As an Official Partner, they also create uniforms for all of F1 Academy. 

In 2024, Tommy Hilfiger supported Nerea Martí, a Spanish driver from Campos Racing, during her sophomore and final season in F1 Academy. With the red, blue, and white colour palette and logo adorned on her racecar and uniform, Tommy Hilfiger made a statement both on and off the track. Martí finished fourth in the drivers’ championship with one podium on home soil at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya that year.

Nerea Martí poses with her #30 car with the Tommy Hilfiger livery ahead of the 2024 season. Image credit: F1 Academy Limited

Tommy Hilfiger’s support continued in 2025 with their support of Alba Larsen, a Danish driver from MP Motorsport. This is Larsen’s first season with the academy. Larsen came close to a strong result in Round 1 at Shanghai with her best grid position of third in qualifying and has consistently finished in the points so far. We cannot wait to see how the next generation of female drivers performs with the support of Tommy Hilfiger!

Wella Professionals

F1 Academy saw the entry of a new beauty brand as one of the academy’s Official Partners in June of 2025, right before Round 4 in Montréal, Canada, at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. Known for their haircare and hair styling products, the German beauty brand is supporting Joanne Ciconte, a driver hailing from Melbourne, Australia, and is the youngest grid member of the 2025 season. Her racing number is #25, and her car features the defining phrase of the Wella campaign, “Make It You” on the rear wing. With Wella’s start in 1880, the 145-year-old brand is dedicated to championing self-expression and female individuality. 

In Round 2 during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Ciconte placed ninth during the second race of the weekend, marking her first points scored. Although the partnership between F1 Academy and Wella Professionals went into effect starting the Canadian Grand Prix, Ciconte’s breakthrough performance already reflects their shared commitment to championing young female talent on a global stage.

As a beauty brand with history, the partnership with Wella Professionals also introduced touchup services in the F1 Academy Paddock Club Suite, per the F1 Academy and Wella Professionals official partnership press release, Brands owned by the Wella Company including Odontorium Products Inc. (OPI) and the world’s top salon nail brand, and good hair day (GHD), the UK’s highest ranking hair styling tools company, are present in the paddock. Wella Professionals’ campaign aims to foster confident self-expression and encourage females in motorsports to embrace their individuality.  

As part of the partnership, Joanne Ciconte's #25 car received a striking redesign featuring Wella Professionals' signature red. Image credit: F1 Academy Limited

Charlotte Tilbury

In early February of 2024, Charlotte Tilbury became F1 Academy’s first female‑founded beauty brand and the inaugural beauty sponsor. The partnership between F1 Academy and Charlotte Tilbury was also the first global-level sponsorship. As a makeup and skincare brand, the partnership places a heavy focus on confidence in one’s own skin and embracing femininity. With emphasis on female representation and Charlotte Tilbury’s popular saying, “Dare to dream it,” the partnership formed a dedicated campaign called “Makeup your destiny.” Not only is this catchphrase plastered on the 2024 and 2025 cars, but it also encapsulates the partnership’s goal of empowering women and encouraging them to take up space in a traditionally male-dominated sport. 

In March of 2025, Charlotte Tilbury announced that they would donate all of their online sales from their Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray to Motorsport UK’s Girls Karting Academy to fund and provide more opportunities for young girls in the UK looking to enter the realm of motorsport. 

In 2024, they supported Lola Lovinfosse, a French driver from Rodin Motorsport, in her second and last F1 Academy season. Although Lovinfosse did not reach the rostrum in 2024, she remained an active competitor throughout the season and gained valuable experience that helped her transition into hypercar racing in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe series for 2025. 

Chloe Chong returned to F1 Academy in 2025 after her initial season in 2023, and is currently supported by Charlotte Tilbury. Image Credit: F1 Academy Limited

Chloe Chong is the driver Charlotte Tilbury is supporting in 2025. Her first season was back in 2023, and Chong re-entered in 2025 with Charlotte Tilbury’s support. After a challenging first race during Round 2, she bounced back to score her first points of the season in the second race. Chong also placed fifth during the third race of the most recent race in Canada. We are excited to see her race again in the Netherlands at the Circuit Zandvoort in August!

As F1 Academy continues to grow, the presence of brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Wella Professionals, and Charlotte Tilbury signals a powerful shift in how motorsport celebrates femininity, fashion, and representation. These partnerships go beyond being “another sponsor,” but rather create spaces for young women to feel seen, supported, and confident both on and off the track. In an industry long defined by masculinity, the addition of beauty and style is helping redefine what it means to belong in racing.