Mercedes and Ferrari announce special Las Vegas Grand Prix collections

It’s the build-up to F1’s Las Vegas Grand Prix, which can only mean one thing. American. Themed. Merchandise.

Despite entering its third year on the F1 calendar following its rival in 2023, Las Vegas is still one of the most highly anticipated events on the schedule and a great opportunity for teams to engage with their fanbase.

F1 merch is a far cry from the simple team t-shirts and caps they would release decades ago, and instead they like to cater to the ever growing younger fanbase by giving their purchases a local spin.

So first up, what have Mercedes rustled up their fans in Las Vegas? In a nod to the US’s sporting heritage, the team unveiled Kimi Antonelli and George Russell in a teal baseball cap and a t-shirt inspired by 00s streetwear.

The Mercedes name has also been given a revamp, departing from the usual corporate font to a more casual style, and in their words: “The stitched-in ‘25’ patch detail on the sleeves of the t-shirts and sweatshirts not only commemorates the year of the collection release – 2025 – but is also deliberately reminiscent of NFL jerseys.’

Mercedes’ collection was designed by adidas’ Michael Batz, who reflected on the new merchandise ahead of Las Vegas, and said: “Las Vegas is renowned for its unique vibrancy - a city defined by its unmistakable energy and spectacle.”

“Inspired by the fun and color that the city has to offer, the new collection brings this energy to life with style-first pieces suited for the grandstands, and beyond.”

“Blending nostalgic design codes with the joyous chaos of the race weekend and the rich sporting culture of the U.S., we can’t wait to see the fans wearing the new collection during race weekend and beyond,” Batz concluded.

Okay, so can Ferrari better Mercedes?

Ferrari’s drivers – and part-time models – Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc unveiled the team’s Las Vegas Grand Prix merchandise in dramatic fashion on social media.

Ferrari have abandoned religion and lost the white collar for Las Vegas GP, going completely red with a strange triangular pattern beneath the arrangement of their usual sponsors.

Because it's going to be a bit chilly in Vegas this weekend, Ferrari have even included a new beanie with a little bobble on top. When worn by Hamilton or Leclerc across the Las Vegas weekend, there’s a fun game you can play with this. If a journalist references John Elkann and the bobble wobbles, you can tell they are secretly annoyed. Depending on how feverish the wobble of the bobble is, you will be able to determine the level of fury, from mildly annoyed to raging.

While admittedly different, Ferrari are less committed to the U.S.A. theme than Mercedes which sees them docked a few points in our eyes (did I just turn this into a competition? I guess it is now.)

With that sudden U-Turn, I better rank the Las Vegas merch out of 10. So, with very little criteria other than vibes let’s give Mercedes a 6.5 and Ferrari a 3/10, because seriously, it's just another red top, innit?

READ MORE: Steiner says this F1 star should replace Hamilton after Ferrari flop

Related