Adidas is joining Formula 1 as a kit supplier to the Mercedes-AMG Petronas team, thanks to a multi-year partnership announced on Tuesday. Mercedes will be present at this year’s Canadian Grand Prix, which will be held in Montreal on June 15.
As an official Mercedes sponsor, the brand will design a range of clothing, footwear and accessories for the entire team, including drivers, mechanics and engineers. The apparel will also be available to Canadian fans and will go on sale in February, before the F1 season kicks off on March 16. Adidas also plans to launch several limited editions throughout the year via its website, Mercedes website, and at a worldwide range of wholesale accounts.
With the new agreement, Adidas replaces Puma, which had been the team’s kit supplier over the past few years after signing a sponsorship agreement in 2012. Since 2018, Mercedes had also been a partner of the fashion brand Tommy Hilfiger, for which driver Lewis Hamilton was an ambassador. Adidas sponsorship follows Hamilton’s departure from the team to join Ferrari during this year’s F1 season.
Bjørn Gulden, CEO of Adidas, said the partnership comes at a key moment for F1. “Interest in motorsport in general and F1 in particular has been growing a lot. It is reaching new consumers and has a big influence on sport and street culture,” he said.
Gulden noted that the deal marks Adidas’ return to the world of motorsport, fitting naturally into its strong sports sponsorship business. The brand has adorned different teams, including Real Madrid, Juventus and Bayern Munich. It is also a sponsor for the U.S. national soccer and Olympic teams, and it has also established a broad presence by partnering with major sports properties such as the NBA, NFL, Major League Soccer and the German Bundesliga. Its sponsorship portfolio also includes sports celebrities like Lionel Messi, Donovan Mitchell, and Paul Pogba.