Puma and Formula 1 have signed an agreement, which makes the sports company the official supplier at F1 races. The deal grants Puma the right to produce F1-branded apparel, footwear and accessories. It includes exclusive rights to sell F1 fan wear of all 10 teams around the race circuit starting in 2024.
Arne Freundt, CEO of Puma, said the brand has become the most authentic and credible sports brand in motorsports. It has the expertise to create the best products for the world’s leading drivers and teams, as well as for its fans. “The influence of motorsport and Formula 1 in particular, on sports- and streetwear culture has significantly increased in recent years. Our new partnership with Formula 1 is an exciting opportunity to further explore this blend of motorsports and lifestyle. Puma has always sat at the intersection of sports and fashion, and we feel we are in the perfect position to translate the culture of the sport into relevant streetwear collections and drive brand heat with a young, affluent, and diverse audience.”
Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, said as F1 continues to grow around the world, they have been reaching new fans through exciting collaborations and are seeing the sport enter areas of mainstream culture. “Puma has a rich history in motorsport, making them the perfect fit for F1 as we take the sport’s apparel to the next level for fans on the street, drivers in the paddock, and everything else in between.”
Puma’s subsidiary Stichd, a company for licensed fan wear as well as legwear, body wear, and swimwear will exclusively operate the fan retail stores during race weekends. Nina Nix, CEO of Stichd, said selling fan wear at every F1 race is a fun and challenging project because the conditions at every track are different, from the hillsides of Zeltweg and Spa to the city centers of Monaco and Baku. “No matter where the race is held, Stichd will create a truly immersive fan experience that goes well beyond selling fan wear.”
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The partnership comes as F1 saw a sharp increase in popularity, with its fan base becoming younger and more diverse. Cumulative TV audiences have grown to reach 1.5 billion viewers, and race attendance also reached record levels in 2022. The sport continues to grow on social media.
