How F1 became marketing's ultimate cultural chameleon

From ‘boy’s club’ to brand brilliance. Monica del Rio, senior strategy director, 160over90, the global marketing agency that is part of WME Group, reflects on a transformed marketing megalith.

The launch of Brad Pitt's new F1 movie, produced by none other than Lewis Hamilton, isn't just another Hollywood blockbuster; it's the culmination of a decade-long transformation that has turned Formula 1 into one of advertising's most versatile partnership platforms.

As F1 approaches its 75th season, we stand witness to how the sport has evolved from an exclusive boys' club into a cultural chameleon offering unprecedented opportunities for brands.

But this transformation didn't happen overnight. Under CEO Stefano Domenicali's leadership, F1 has systematically dismantled the exclusivity that once kept fans at arm's length. The sport that once jealously guarded its mystique now operates like an entertainment and lifestyle brand, opening its paddocks to cameras, embracing social media storytelling, and showcasing the human drama beyond the track.

The result is a younger and more vibrant fanbase that has exploded in both size and diversity, with women now constituting 41% of viewers and the fastest-growing segment being women aged 16 to 24, according to Nielsen.

Today's F1 is cultural cross-pollination at its finest, offering brands a rare opportunity to connect with vastly different demographics that rarely overlap elsewhere through a single property. The sport, and the movie by association, has cultivated an ecosystem where classic motorheads share space with fashion enthusiasts, jetsetters, Brad Pitt fans, and more.

This diversity explains why all sorts of brands can find their place in F1's universe.

Think about it: you've got Pirelli as the exclusive tyre supplier next to Anastasia Beverly Hills making F1 Academy driver Bianca Bustamante its first-ever athlete ambassador, and LVMH dropping $1 billion on a 10-year deal that brings TAG Heuer in as the new official timekeeper (goodbye, Rolex), and Louis Vuitton crafting bespoke trophy trunks for major Grand Prix events. Where other sports properties offer one dominant vibe, F1 morphs to match its audience.

For brands looking to capitalise on this phenomenon, we offer three strategic provocations:

Invest in athletes as multi-hyphenates

Stop thinking of F1 drivers as just athletes. Think of Charles Leclerc's ice cream brand, Hamilton co-hosting the Met Gala, and the general obsession with padel among drivers who always seem to manage to squeeze in sets between races on the circuit. These aren't distractions from racing; they're new entry points. Smart brands will help athletes operate as small (or big?) businesses and complex brands, supporting their wider ambitions and personal passions. This approach offers deeper, more authentic partnerships that extend far beyond race weekends.

Cross-pollinate your portfolio

The biggest mistake brands make is compartmentalising their F1 partnership. Don't keep your portfolio in silos. If you're already invested in music, fashion, or food, find the intersections with F1 rather than treating them as separate verticals. The sport's cultural breadth rewards brands that blend opportunities across categories, creating richer, more integrated campaigns.

Play into Host Cites’ culture

Each Grand Prix offers distinct cultural contexts and audience compositions. Monaco attracts luxury enthusiasts, Austin brings music festival energy, Las Vegas delivers entertainment spectacle, Monza is for the OGs, Miami is all about the celebrity appeal. Smart brands don't apply a one-size-fits-all approach; they unlock the full potential of their partnership by keeping the specific city and its gravitational pull on different fan segments front of mind.

Keeping this in mind helps reframe how we think of the movie launch. This event represents not a one-off spike, but the peak of long-term momentum. 

F1's transformation from exclusive motorsport to chameleonic cultural phenomenon has been years in the making, built through strategic entertainment partnerships and a deliberate shift towards showcasing the human side of what was once an intentionally closed-off world.

This is advertising's dream scenario: a property that offers both massive scale and incredible targeting precision. F1 delivers the broad reach that comes with global popularity whilst maintaining the ability to speak to specific niches within that audience.

For advertisers still debating whether F1 fits their brand, the question isn't whether you belong on the grid. It's about which lane you'll choose to drive in.