Paddock fits: F1’s 10 most fashionable moments of 2024

The world of fashion has successfully breached the world of Formula 1 this season, and nowhere is this more evident than at the paddock entrances during race weekends. While Lewis Hamilton has long attracted the attention of the fashion elite, more drivers than ever are taking the risk of dressing up and stepping through the turnstiles in daring ensembles.

As the 2024 season approaches, I’ve collected 10 of my favorite driver style moments from inside the paddock. I should note that these are not necessarily the 10 best organizationsBecause let’s be real, this would just be a list consisting of 10 photos of Hamilton (although he appears multiple times in this article).

I’d also like to point out some notable absences: Lando Norris, Pierre Gasly, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. These four drivers generally dress very well, do a good job of decorating their team kits, and find unique ways to create items that sponsors mandate for them to wear. But when I look back on the year, none of them completely surprised me, or were as surprising as some of the other participants on this list.

Lewis Hamilton’s three-day turnaround in Abu Dhabi

Hamilton completed his livery change, symbolizing his move from Mercedes to Ferrari, over the course of three days in the final race of the season. With the help of his stylist, Eric McNeil, the seven-time world champion stepped out in three ensembles: He arrived at the Yas Marina Circuit on Friday wearing an off-white Willy Chavarría Spring 2025 ensemble featuring intricate red stitching; On Saturday, he chose a casual, red-and-white Rick Owens-look, wearing a long button-down over ultra-baggy faded trousers with a distressed white vest and Gucci shades; The transformation was complete on Sunday race day when he stepped out in the Ferrari-coded Dior ‘Fit. Hamilton, whose ambassadorship with the French fashion house was announced earlier this year, wore a red band collar shirt with matching pants and square-framed Gucci sunglasses.

Yuki Tsunoda looks more confident than ever in Abu Dhabi

Yuki Tsunoda has always been among the fashion kings of the paddock, but 2024 was the year he really stepped into the spotlight. The 24-year-old looked more comfortable and confident at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as he arrived wearing an acid wash Hugo tank top and loose-fitting denim jeans with a Bottega Veneta belt. She completed the look with dark shades along with chunky black sneakers and a silver necklace.

Fans on social media compared the look to a villain from the Fast & Furious franchise (which is especially fitting, given that Tsunoda is a die-hard fan of Jason Statham) while others compared it to Michael Schumacher’s infamous black tank top. From. Special thanks to some of Tsunoda’s other paddock fits, including their embroidered skull and bones double denim, their Alpinestars Reserve moto jacket, and their Girls Don’t Cry cardigan.

Zhou Guanyu cuts a stunning silhouette in Abu Dhabi

Throughout his tenure at Sauber, Zhou Guanyu has become one of the sport’s fashion icons. The Chinese driver isn’t afraid to take risks and rock bold ensembles, and he seems to have established a stellar image during his last two years in the global spotlight. For his final catwalk (sorry, paddock entrance), he wore a maroon bomber jacket and a pair of baggy trousers with a white button-down. He wore dark shades and a pair of two-tone maroon sneakers.

Daniel Ricciardo hints at his post-F1 future at Spa

Daniel Ricciardo has tried his hand at high-fashion over the years (see: 2023 Met Gala) but it’s clear he’s most comfortable in casual looks. The Australian driver is a big fan of graphic tees – he’s even created a few tees for his merch line (Enchante) – and for this fashion moment, he wore a hilarious shirt featuring NFL player, Josh Allen, at the Belgian Grand Prix Chose. ,

Since leaving the grid in the middle of the season, Ricciardo has been depressed and made one of his only public appearances at a Bills game to support his quarterback friend. Although his path after F1 is unclear, it seems that his livery choice in July may have hinted at a future in the American sports marketing landscape.

Esteban Ocon takes risks in Monza

Esteban Ocon is among the drivers who usually prefers the team polo-and-jeans combo when entering the paddock. So you can imagine many fans’ surprise when they saw the Frenchman wearing a double denim acid wash two-piece, consisting of an oversized button-down and matching pants in Monza. The Alpine driver sported his signature mega-watt smile wearing a powder blue tee, dark shades and white sneakers with blue accents.

Lewis Hamilton made a statement in Miami

It’s a strange experience to inadvertently enter the paddock a few paces ahead of Hamilton, but that’s exactly what happened to me in Miami before the race. Puzzled as to why there were so many photographers moving around in one place and collecting their gear, I turned back and found the Mercedes Ace very quietly moving towards the entrance.

Judging by the ‘wows’ heard from the audience, it seemed the world champion was wearing a particularly show-stopping ensemble, and her Gucci ‘fit certainly didn’t disappoint. She wore a black two-piece, consisting of tailored trousers and a low-cut tank top adorned with reflective sequins. She also wore Jacques Marie Madge sunglasses, black work shoes and a stack of diamond necklaces.

Valtteri Bottas honors Australian culture in Melbourne

Valtteri Bottas’ inclusion on this list has less to do with this one specific outfit, and more to do with his overall commitment throughout the season. As an Australian, I very much appreciate their ‘here for the sausage sizzle’ tee, because I too would do anything to be in a sausage sizzle at any time (translation: a sausage sizzle is a BBQ where sausages are Served on a slice of bread).

The thing I love about Bottas’ re-brand is that he really understands it – he’s taken the time to understand Australian culture, as evidenced by the shorts, a flat-brim hat and mid-calf socks. This black tee paired with it shows.

George Russell travels back in time at Imola

This may come as an odd choice for the always well-dressed George Russell, who is taking advantage of the rise in popularity of the ‘old money aesthetic’ in terms of his sartorial choices. While Hamilton’s style could be described as effortlessly cool, Russell’s outfits often appear to be carefully planned – thus, I can’t imagine that vintage overalls and old-school attire were on his vision board.

But, despite the odds, I think he really pulls it off! The Mercedes driver has very clearly made his British-ness part of his personal brand, and this ‘fit really suits the personality he’s shaping, even if it was perhaps a little outside his comfort zone. It’s also nice to see Russell in something other than a Tommy Hilfiger cardigan.

Lewis Hamilton teases his Dior partnership at Silverstone

Hamilton made a great start to his Dior ambassadorship at his home Grand Prix at Silverstone. He wore an outfit by the fashion house’s menswear artistic director, Kim Jones, which was part of the SS25 collection. He looked charming in a white tank top, which was teamed with a blue and white embroidered floral jacket along with navy trousers.

She completed the look with a pair of brown work shoes, accessorized with a cream bag, Jacques Marie Madge aviator-style shades, an IWC watch and the best accessory of all: her dog Roscoe with a floral design Were decorated.

Max Verstappen shocks the paddock in Qatar

For all we know, Max Verstappen might have been born wearing a Red Bull polo shirt. so it came as a Chief The surprise came when the four-time world champion arrived in the Qatar paddock wearing nothing but his team kit. Upon seeing photos of Verstappen wearing an army green tee, some fans joked that they didn’t realize he had other clothes on, while the official F1 account shared the photo with the tag ‘breaking news’. Perhaps 2025 is the year we see the 27-year-old start branching out in the wardrobe department.