Italian chic at 300kph: How Ferrari has influenced fashion in F1

Few brands embody Italian luxury like Ferrari. From the roar of an engine at Monza to the flash of rosso corsa – Ferrari’s signature red colours – on city streets, Ferrari has always represented more than racing. It’s a cultural statement, one that extends far beyond the track.

Fashion plays a similar role. Precision, elegance, and a touch of drama are what make Milan’s runways world-famous. Ferrari fits into that conversation effortlessly, with a design language that feels as at home in glossy magazines as it does on the podium.

And while speed and style may seem like different disciplines, in the hands of Ferrari, they blend seamlessly. The Scuderia has become a symbol of Italian chic – where horsepower meets haute couture.

Drivers as the new style icons

Off-track fashion has become just as central to Formula 1 as the racing itself. Social media has transformed everyday arrivals into viral content, and the paddock into a global stage. Drivers are no longer just athletes; they’re ambassadors of style.

Charles Leclerc embodies the refined side of this movement. His wardrobe leans toward simplicity: slim tailoring, neutral palettes, clean lines. It’s a look that feels timeless and sophisticated. Leclerc doesn’t need bold statements to stand out. His understated elegance has made him one of the paddock’s most admired dressers.

On the other end of the spectrum sits Sir Lewis Hamilton, F1’s ultimate style icon. Hamilton has revolutionised what it means to be a driver in the fashion world, embracing bold streetwear, experimental silhouettes, and headline-grabbing collaborations.

His influence extends far beyond the paddock: front-row fashion week appearances, designer partnerships, and most recently, his role as a co-chair of the 2025 Met Gala. Hamilton’s fearless approach has redefined the relationship between Formula 1 and fashion, making him both a pioneer in the sport and a fixture in the global style conversation.

When fashion hits the paddock

The paddock has become a cultural runway, a place where speed and theatre collide. Outfits are now captured and analysed with the same intensity as a new livery reveal, proving that fashion doesn’t just belong to Milan or Paris – it thrives trackside.

Ferrari’s presence naturally commands the spotlight. The team’s heritage, colour identity, and star drivers align perfectly with the image of Italian luxury. When Ferrari’s drivers step into the paddock, it isn’t just an arrival, it’s a projection of brand identity, blending motorsport prestige with lifestyle influence.

This shift highlights how Formula 1 has evolved into more than a sporting spectacle. And at the heart of it, Ferrari continues to define how style and sport can exist as one.

A look back at style legends

Of course, none of this is entirely new. Ferrari drivers have long doubled as cultural icons, their style inseparable from the eras they defined. Michael Schumacher’s reign in Ferrari red became the look of a generation – dominance wrapped in scarlet on track, and some added flair off track.

Go further back and the glamour only intensifies. Juan Manuel Fangio and Alberto Ascari were photographed like leading men, their tailored jackets and quiet sophistication evoking the golden age of cinema. Niki Lauda embodied resilience and hard work, sporting his Ferrari uniform with pride.

Ferrari’s history proves that racing has always had style baked in. The only difference today is scale. What once lived in magazine spreads now plays out on millions of screens in real time.

The power of Rosso Corsa

No symbol captures Ferrari’s style heritage quite like rosso corsa – literally “racing red” in Italian. It began as the official colour of Italian motorsport in the early 20th century, when each nation was assigned its own hue: British racing green, French blue, German silver, and Italy’s deep, fiery red. For Ferrari, that shade became more than tradition, it became identity.

Over time, rosso corsa has outlived trends to become a cultural code in its own right. Like fashion’s little black dress, Ferrari red is timeless – instantly recognisable, endlessly imitated, and forever linked to passion and power.

That cultural weight has carried seamlessly into fashion. Ferrari’s collaborations with luxury labels and lifestyle brands, from Ray-Ban sunglasses with scarlet detailing to Puma’s rosso corsa-inspired streetwear drops, show how the colour translates off the grid and onto city streets. Even limited-edition sneakers and capsule collections echo Ferrari red as shorthand for Italian glamour and speed.

Today, rosso corsa isn’t just a paint choice or a team colour. It’s a symbol worn not only by fans on race day but also by style-conscious audiences who treat it as a lifestyle statement. It isn’t just colour – it’s culture. And Ferrari owns it.

Italian heritage, shared DNA

At the heart of this connection is shared Italian DNA. Ferrari is as much a design house as it is a racing team – its aerodynamic curves as carefully considered as each stitch in a haute couture piece. Both industries thrive on tradition while constantly reinventing themselves, a balance of timeless style and modern innovation.

Italy has long exported elegance, and Ferrari is no exception. On the road, on the runway, or in the paddock, Ferrari reflects the same qualities that make Italian fashion globally irresistible: artistry, passion, and the courage to stand out.

Ferrari and fashion are built on the same foundations: heritage, passion, and the pursuit of beauty. One creates speed that looks like art, the other creates art that moves at the speed of culture. Together, they embody Italy’s most famous exports: elegance and emotion. And in both, there’s always room for a touch of theatre.