7 Formula 1 Outfit Ideas for Your Motorcore Era

A new dawn of motorsports is already upon us. With the growing popularity of Netflix’s hit docuseries Drive to Survive, Formula 1 has accumulated a cult following of die-hard fans as they watch 20 drivers battle it out for the top spot in a nearly year-long competition season.

Over the years, the sport has proven to be more than just hot guys in fast cars. These days, the drivers are bringing the heat by turning the track into, quite literally, a runway show, from rising style stars like Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu to established fashion icons like seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.

What’s coming out of the F1 hype is the motorcore trend. Similar to its sister counterpart bikercore, motorcore is characterized by daring and rebellious styles inspired by the high speeds and very dangerous nature of open-wheel racing.

“Formula 1 is an exciting sport that provides such adrenaline to not only the driver and crew but also the fans, and its fashion spotlight was destined only to get brighter,” Wayne Kulkin, founder and executive chairman of StreetTrend, LLC, which owns P448, tells Byrdie. “The parallels with the fashion world extend beyond its sexy nature and refined craftsmanship to create a mechanical thing of beauty. It’s just simply cool and a rare untapped source of endless inspiration from the racetrack to the paddock and to the garage.”

Now that the 2023 competition season is underway, it’s time to get your ‘fits in check. Below, see seven F1-inspired outfit ideas that you can shop now.

Lewis Hamilton Cosplay

Though the 2023 season has only just began, Lewis is already sporting a slew of impressive looks. Our favorite so far, though, is the monochrome brown Dior set worn at the first grand prix of the year in Bahrain. He took the look straight from the fall 2023 catwalk, which included a sweatshirt dressed with pleated skirt pants, chunky boots, and sporty shades. Though this look isn’t available just yet, you can look to Lewis for outfit inspiration and find similar bottoms below.

The Ultimate Presenter

The F1 presenters make each race weekend even more worthwhile. Despite a mostly male and white-dominated space, we’re so here for the badass women paving the way, including Naomi Schiff and Lissie Mackintosh. While on duty, they’re often seen hitting the paddock in easy breezy jumpsuits, sharp blazer sets, and flowy midi dresses complete with supportive shoes and simple yet statement-making accessories.

Fan Favorite Accessories

It’s fair to say that every fan’s dream is to attend one of the F1 Grand Prixes, but securing a seat can be a challenge and demand is only going up from here. If you’re one of the thousands lucky enough to snag a seat, experiencing the competition IRL is so worth the time, travel, and investment.

Prep yourself ahead of time and get your all of your F1 gear ready by rocking your favorite driver on an official team cap. You’ll want to be as comfortable as possible to walk very long distances, so sneakers or cushy platform shoes are a must. Block the bright sunlight with your choice of “gas station” sunglasses and finally, keep all of your necessities in a compact mini backpack.

Driver Off-Duty

Outside of their uniform, F1 drivers are style stars in their own rights. Most of the grid know how to stunt in style amid the stress of any given race week, like Chinese driver and Dior ambassador Zhou Guanyu in his Dior x ERL top. Some of the biggest flexes come from drivers when they’re not in their cars, including Lando Norris' must-have McLaren sunnies and Alex Albon’s Jibbitz-adorned Crocs.

Coveted Collabs

The past year alone presented a bevy of F1 capsule lines that are too good not to own, and we can expect more retailers to hop on the trend in the coming months. Hollister recently launched a collection of McLaren-inspired T-shirts, while PacSun teamed up with the official Formula 1 brand to produce stylish offerings inspired by motor racing. The Scuderia AlphaTauri team launched their official team sneakers with P448 that are also available to shop by fans exclusively online.

Podcast Princess

There’s so much that happens in a given race weekend but F1 podcasters make the sport all the more interesting. These individuals rise to the challenge and recap the happenings of every competition on a weekly basis. Our must-listen shows—Two Girls One Formula, QuickStop F1, and Red Flags Podcast—offer merch with the sport’s inside jokes that truly channel the inner fan in all of us.

Racing Red

Aside from Ferrari’s record-breaking results since the 1950s, the Italian-based company operates one of the oldest and most successful teams in the sport—and it’s best associated with bright red. Whether you’re part of the Tifosi fan club or are looking to embody the team’s signature team colors (and fashion’s favorite colorway at the moment), you can opt for Ferrari red via its official fashion line, or browse through other driver-inspired apparel like parachute pants and logo socks.