Formula 1 is going to look a little different in 2025: Lewis Hamilton will be wearing red, a new rookie class is joining the grid, and French conglomerate LVMH will be everywhere in the paddock. From bottles of Moët & Chandon on the podium to monogrammed Louis Vuitton trophy cases, the luxury empire’s 75 brands — or maisons as they’re referred to in-house — will be all-pervasive at races after LVMH owner Bernard Arnault inked a 10-year megadeal with Formula 1.
The move wasn’t entirely unexpected. For months, speculation swirled that LVMH watch brand TAG Heuer was in talks to become the sport’s official timekeeper, replacing Rolex, which held the title for more than a decade. However, the sheer scale of LVMH’s eventual F1 sponsorship — worth a reported $1 billion — was bigger than anyone could have imagined.
Like all of the brands owned by the luxury supergroup, the Swiss watchmaker has historically operated independently, inking its own sponsorship deals with the likes of Red Bull and McLaren dating back to the 1960s. But LVMH’s landmark deal with F1 will see its stable of 75 brands packaged together in an effort to saturate almost every aspect of the sport.
You want a glass of bubbly in the Paddock Club? Perhaps we could interest you in Veuve Clicquot, Dom Pérignon, or Moët & Chandon. You’d prefer a cocktail? Does Belvedere, Glenmorangie, or Hennessy tickle your fancy?
The $364 billion company also owns historic luxury fashion brands like Celine, Dior, Fendi, Givenchy, and Loewe, along with Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty and international cosmetics giant Sephora. LVMH can even connect with fans as they’re traveling to the 21 countries where F1 races — as it owns the duty-free retailer, DFS Group.
The announcement — made by Arnault alongside F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and Liberty Media boss Greg Maffei last week — comes a couple of months after LVMH dominated the Paris Olympics on a the back of a similar group-wide sponsorship deal. And that moment serves as a blueprint for how the Formula 1 relationship will likely play out.
Carlos Sainz of Ferrari receives his 3rd-place trophy at the 2024 Monaco GP, with the Louis Vuitton trophy case in the background
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
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