How Formula 1’s title-challenger is redefining fashion on and off the track

Fashion has become as much a part of the Formula 1 spectacle as the racing itself. The paddock has become a runway, with the drivers setting the tone. Among the new generation on the grid, 2025 title-challenger Lando Norris has carved out a distinct off-grid fashion identity.

Since his rookie season in 2019, Lando’s style has evolved from the familiarity and simplicity of his papaya McLaren team kit to a playful mix of casual comfort and polished luxury. Whilst the young Brit is making his mark on-track, his aesthetic style has become a central part of his journey in the sport.

“I don’t think of myself as stylish,” the McLaren man told Vogue with typical self-awareness. “But people want to see who we are, not just our helmets”.

That sums up this shift – F1 style today is about personality, identity and the way drivers choose to express themselves, both on and off the track.

From team kit to high-end F1 paddock fashion

Lando’s style story starts in pure easy comfort. Early in his paddock days during 2019 and 2020, his uniform was simple: hoodie, sweats, sneakers, and the team kit. The McLaren driver’s early look epitomised a British teenager whose life revolved around racing. That stripped-back yet slightly personal touch resonated with younger fans, who saw in him a version of themselves; casual, relatable, and more interested in being comfortable than conforming to old-school style codes.

Still, there were always hints of personality, whether it was an unexpected pop of colour, a playful accessory, or a casual twist to the kit that suggested his style instincts were there from the start, just waiting to surface.

Entreprenurial style

During 2020, Lando began turning that identity into something bigger with the launch of Quadrant. His own lifestyle brand reflected exactly who he was at the time with a range of hoodies and graphic tees; bright, playful, youthful and firmly Gen Z.

For Lando, the goal was for the brand to feel authentic – not just another piece of F1 merchandise. “It’s where I can represent the casual side of me, the normal side of me, not the Formula 1 racing driver side,” he explained to GQ Sports. “So, I think that’s what makes it a lot better.”

Lando’s style works because it fluctuates. In the paddock, he can also lean into sharper, more polished looks that show how far he’s come from hoodies and sweats. That versatility hasn’t gone unnoticed, as fashion houses have tapped him to front several campaigns – such as Dior, Ralph Lauren and Tumi – a sign that the industry sees his appeal beyond racing.

Yet away from the spotlight, he’s back in hoodies, sneakers and candid fits that mirror the side fans know from behind the scenes on social media. That balance of luxury when it matters, casual when it doesn’t, is what makes his aesthetic click. It feels lived-in, not curated.

That balance is his signature. “It’s where I can represent the casual side of me, the normal side of me, not the Formula 1 racing driver side,” he explained to GQ Sports. “So, I think that’s what makes it a lot better.”

Even as his wardrobe evolves, he stays grounded, blending everyday hoodies with the occasional designer look.

Gen Z style in sync

Lando’s style doesn’t follow the familiar F1 script of sharp tailoring and high-gloss appearances that so many other drivers have adhered to over the years. Instead, it reflects the broader mood of his generation – fluid, playful, and unbothered by the idea of being ‘fashion perfect’. For Lando, clothes aren’t about projecting status as much as projecting self.

That outlook is what makes his aesthetic resonate with fans. He’s less concerned with trends than with expressing his personality, whether that’s through a designer campaign or a quick TikTok fit-check. His appeal lies in the consistency: comfort, authenticity, and a refusal to treat fashion as something separate from everyday life.

As he told Vogue: “I just wear what I like and what feels comfortable. If people think it looks good, then great.” It’s a sentiment that could easily sit on any Gen Z mood board, and explains why his style has become part of his public identity outside of his performances.

In an era where drivers are as much cultural figures as athletes, Lando embodies how fashion can be approachable without losing relevance. He shows that you don’t have to be a couture obsessive to make an impact – you just have to be real.

The digital runway in F1 fashion

Part of what makes Lando’s style resonate with so many is the way it’s experienced. Unlike earlier eras of F1, where fans only saw drivers in curated magazine shoots or sponsor appearances, Lando’s fashion lives in the immediacy of Twitch streams, TikTok edits, Instagram posts, and candid paddock walk clips. His outfits don’t exist in isolation – they circulate, get memed, clipped, and reinterpreted by fans online.

That dynamic has shaped how his aesthetic is perceived. A hoodie or a football jersey isn’t just clothing – it becomes part of a shared culture between Lando and his fanbase, one that blurs the line between athlete, streamer, and fashion figure. His style doesn’t demand attention through extravagance; instead, it gathers momentum through relatability, repeatability, and the viral loops of a digital fandom.

In a sport where image has always been paramount, Lando shows how fashion can thrive in the era of content; not as a polished billboard, but as an ongoing, interactive story.