The United States Grand Prix is one of the few races where almost every team will do something to celebrate. The Formula 1 circus arrives in Texas this weekend, so let's do a roundup of the denim, cowboy hats and Western-styled merchandise the teams have brought with them.
Austin is proudly showing off collections from Red Bull, Cadillac, Williams, Max Verstappen and Lando Norris themselves, and even F1 has brought its own kit.
Red Bull has gone all out as its engine partner, Ford, goes Raptor crazy at the Circuit of the Americas for its home race. The team will be wearing a Castore collection of race suits, boots, jackets and shirts inspired by the Raptor and the American West. Drivers Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar will be wearing white race suits this weekend to celebrate the occasion.
“Austin is always a weekend where we have a lot of fun,” said Red Bull commercial director Paul Gandolfi. “This year, we’re going bigger than ever, both at the circuit and across the city.”
Ford Racing general manager Will Ford added: "We love how the ORBR team has embraced the spirit of Raptor, from the race suits to the pit garages."
Red Bull and New Era have also produced an Austin cap in maroon with a cream peak, carrying Verstappen’s No. 3 and Hadjar’s No. 6.
Verstappen’s lion wears a cowboy hat on his one-off Austin helmet, and the same theme features in his own Unleash the Lion Austin collection, which includes an $87 hoodie with the cowboy lion above the words “Austin, Texas”. Replicas of the helmet start at $93 for a 1:4 scale model.
Haas, which considers Austin its biggest home race, has turned to Godzilla. As part of its season-long partnership with Japanese studio TOHO, the team revealed a Godzilla-themed livery on Monday, and Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman will wear matching race suits. A collection of team hoodies and driver T-shirts went on sale on 19 October, alongside posters and jigsaw puzzles. Fans can see a Godzilla show car and buy the range at Barton Creek Square mall from 23 to 25 October. There is also a $55 New Era Austin cap.
“We’re breaking new ground in Formula 1 by launching a sequel livery, and it’s something we’re very proud of,” said Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu.
Cadillac’s Austin capsule stems from its partnership with Tommy Hilfiger, and went on sale on 13 October. It includes a light-wash denim jacket at $321, a women’s denim vest with a silver foil coating, a T-shirt, a tank top and a $74 denim cap, and follows capsules for Miami and Mexico. A Las Vegas edition is due in November.
“We started with icons of the Tommy wardrobe,” said Tommy Hilfiger chief design officer Lee Holman.
Williams, which changed to New Era as its kit supplier this year, has an Austin race collection with a $180 denim jacket, an $85 cowboy hat, denim trucker caps and T-shirts with Western-style lettering reading “Austin, TX” and “Est. 1977”.
Mercedes and Audi have kept it easy, with special edition adidas Austin caps at $61 each.
Norris’s LN4 brand has gone down a different route. Lando’s Original Service Department is a 12-piece collection inspired by 1970s racing garages, sold from a converted petrol station in downtown Austin until Sunday.
F1’s own range includes a collection with NAHMIAS as you can see below. Tyre supplier Pirelli also has a $94 Austin podium cap.
The United States Grand Prix takes place at the Circuit of the Americas from 23 to 25 October.