When F1 drivers become fashion magazine stars

Since Lando Norris was announced as part of British Vogue’s upcoming October 2025 issue, F1 fashion has been talked about across the paddock and on social media. Yet, this mix is not new, as magazine stories featuring Formula 1 drivers have long shaped this connection.

F1 has always captured the imagination – not only on race weekends, but on cinema and television screens, red carpets and the pages of the most prestigious fashion magazines. Once reserved almost exclusively for models, film stars or musicians, fashion magazine covers have become a stage where culture is shaped and trends are set, and F1 is firmly part of that conversation.

From Vogue to GQ, here are some of the most iconic F1 x fashion magazine crossovers – and the stories behind them…

Lando Norris: British Vogue, October 2025

If any driver has been in the spotlight this year, it’s Lando Norris, contending for his first Drivers’ Championship and the fascinating head-to-head battles with team mate Oscar Piastri at McLaren. Norris has also stood out for his increasingly distinctive fashion choices during paddock walks, showing a style evolution since his debut that now brings to mind a modern James Dean, as seen in Vogue’s October issue.

Shot by Sean & Seng and styled by Gerry O’Kane, the portraits show another side to the driver, reflecting his charming personality. We see Norris in a cropped Jil Sander knit, suited and polished in Yves Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello, or in an oversized, shirtless Ferragamo suit.

Shot in the surroundings of the McLaren Technology Centre, the feature includes a vintage-inspired moment – featuring Ayrton Senna’s MP4/4 McLaren – with Norris dressed in a Courreges overall and a Balenciaga helmet.

Lewis Hamilton: Vogue’s MET issue 2025 and GQ

Few drivers claim fashion’s pole position like Lewis Hamilton, with signature paddock walks showcasing looks from both established fashion houses and emergent designers. The seven-time World Champion is a global style icon, a status cemented further with each magazine cover appearance.

The most iconic one to date? Vogue's May 2025 issue, in conjunction with the Met Gala. Hamilton was part of four special-edition covers dedicated to each co-chair, making him one of the few athletes ever to have held that role.

Styled by Ib Kamara and Eric McNeal, the cover anticipated the Gala’s theme, 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style', with Hamilton embodying the Black dandy in a Ferragamo suit and Off-White bow tie – the prelude to his now-iconic Wales Bonner ivory look.

Also this year, he shared a three-cover series with Damson Idris and Brad Pitt for GQ's Summer 2025 issue, promoting F1: The Movie, blending streetwear and luxury. He also starred in GQ's Global Creativity Awards 2024 edition, wearing Dior Men, highlighting his influence beyond racing.

Max Verstappen: GQ (2022), TIME (2023) and Safari (2025)

Although not necessarily known as a “fashionista”, the four-time World Champion has made his mark starring on major covers. In late 2022, after securing his second world title, Max Verstappen was named GQ Athlete of the Year and featured in the GQ Men of the Year issue.

The feature showcased him in his racing gear, as well as in designer looks by Prada, BOSS and AlphaTauri, underlining his straightforward approach to fashion while discussing his all-or-nothing driving mentality.

In 2023, Max appeared on the cover of TIME magazine as one of the 100 most influential people globally, and this year, his influence stretched to Japan, with a starring cover for Safari, a leading men’s fashion and lifestyle magazine.

Oscar Piastri: Esquire Australia, July 2024

No longer a promising rookie and instead already contending at the front with McLaren, Oscar Piastri earned his first fashion feature with Esquire Australia during his second F1 season in 2024.

Piastri was the digital cover star for July 2024, already tipped as a future champion. Following a minimal and understated style, the Aussie wore Armani, Burberry and Yves Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello, reflecting his more easy-going personality.

Carlos Sainz & Charles Leclerc: GQ (2022) and Vogue Italia (2024)

In September 2022, ex-Ferrari team mates Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc appeared together on British GQ’s cover, styled in a mix of Ferrari and Armani (the team’s official fashion partner since 2021) and the drivers’ own racing gear – gloves, helmets, and balaclavas – merging motorsport with high fashion.

Two years later, in May 2024, they turned heads on the May issue of Vogue Italia alongside supermodel Irina Shayk. Shot at Ferrari’s private Fiorano test track, the cover merged fashion and motorsport heritage in a way rarely seen before.

Fernando Alonso: GQ Spain, 2023

Long before his appearance on fashion covers, Fernando Alonso had been crafting his own style in the paddock. In recent years, he featured in GQ Spain's Men of the Year issue, where he spoke about his past and future in F1 with Aston Martin.

The styling combined Hugo Boss leather with items from his own Kimoa x Aston Martin line, showcasing him as both an athlete and an entrepreneur.

Vanity Fair and the 'Netflix effect', 2022

Back in 2022, Vanity Fair dedicated a feature to how Netflix’s Drive to Survive was catapulting F1 to the top of the charts, bringing an explosion of fandom, particularly in the US. The editorial brought together Pierre Gasly, George Russell, Lando Norris, Daniel Ricciardo and Esteban Ocon in vibrant, tailored looks – a world away from their paddock uniform.

Styled in brands such as Saint Laurent, Armani, Hermes and Gucci, each look reflected the drivers’ personalities while presenting them like pop stars rather than athletes, capturing the‘Netflix effect’ and underlining the sport’s crossover into contemporary pop culture.

Zhou Guanyu: Harper’s Bazaar China, 2025

During his time with Kick Sauber, Zhou Guanyu consistently lit up the paddock with his creative fits, and has also been Dior China’s ambassador since 2023, appearing on multiple magazine covers. Now Ferrari’s reserve driver, Zhou appeared on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar China in an editorial that caught fans’ attention with its striking imagery.