From their historical ties with Ferrari to A$AP Rocky’s creative director partnership, the F1 scene has been long-dominated by PUMA – but a new challenger is hot on the Big Cat's tail. Adding more fuel to their longstanding rivalry, the other Dassler brand, adidas, have finally inked a partnership that sees them venture into F1. The Three Stripes will be partnering with Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS for the upcoming season, which will see them kit out the whole team in adidas swag.
adidas’ current CEO, Bjørn Gulden, is more than familiar with the F1 sphere, having moved over to Team Trefoil from PUMA in 2022. Speaking on the new partnership, Gulden said: ‘We are very happy to be back in the world of motorsport. Interest in motorsport in general and Formula 1 in particular has been growing a lot. It is reaching new consumers and has a big influence on sport and street culture. We are extremely proud to introduce the Three Stripes into F1 as Official Team Partner of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team – one of the most successful teams ever. Together, we share the passion for speed, innovation and performance. We will support the drivers and the team to push the limits on the track. Off the track we will bring a fresh perspective to the sport by introducing exciting lifestyle product and extending the reach to a new generation of fans. We look forward to supporting Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 and win together.’
Continuing with the announcement, Toto Wolff, co-owner, CEO and team principal of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, followed: ‘Our partnership with adidas is a clear statement of intent as we begin to write our next chapter as a team. adidas is an iconic brand, one that shares our dedication not only to peak performance but to style and sophistication too. This announcement therefore represents a groundbreaking collaboration that will redefine what team and fanwear means in our sport. We are excited to break this new ground and work with adidas as we collectively strive to fight for world championships.’
Richard Sanders, chief commercial officer of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, emphasised the critical role of cutting-edge, performance-driven design in the sport. ‘Performance is at the heart of everything we do. The core of our relationship with adidas is rooted in that belief. They are an iconic brand that has achieved record-breaking success in so many other sports. To bring them into F1 as part of our team is therefore not only a great honor, but also incredibly exciting. We look forward to working with them on reinventing what teamwear means to chase every millisecond of performance on and off the track,’ he said before turning his attention to the sport’s growing, feverish fanbase. ‘Our shared value of innovation will also be focused on bringing a refreshed energy to our wider fanwear ranges. F1 is riding a cultural wave at present, and we will build on this to provide apparel, footwear, and accessories that engage our loyal fanbase whilst engaging new audiences that continue to discover our sport and our team.’
F1 fever has also spilt out onto the streets in recent years, with 2024 becoming a lap of honour for one of PUMA's iconic racing styles: the PUMA Speedcat, which is now a firm favourite of the fashion set. In a similar vein, the Three Stripes quietly relaunched the adi Racer Lo last year. The model was originally a 2000s low-profile silhouette designed for race car drivers and was made in conjunction with the tyre brand Goodyear. It's yet to be confirmed whether this will be the focus model for the collection or whether adidas are cooking up something new.
Though the initial drop won’t take place until February, adidas have given us some clues as to what’s included, with footwear, apparel and accessories all lined up for team members and F1 fans alike. The press release also notes that several limited-edition drops will happen throughout the year, most likely linked to major race events. For now, stay locked to Sneaker Freaker to see how the partnership pans out.