Formula One teams lead the automotive industry in innovation. Any performance advantage gained through changes to the look, configuration or components of their car has the potential to affect the outcome of the race and many of those advances filter down into the wider automotive sector over time.
As a result, there is always a fine balance between the skill and experience of the driver and the performance of the engine and dynamics of the car itself. Protecting both the technology and the commercial identity behind that performance is therefore critical.
Design rights and the F1 car
To protect the appearance of the car or specific components such as the rear wing, Formula One teams routinely apply for industrial design registrations worldwide.
Design protection is particularly valuable in Formula One, where marginal gains can make a decisive difference and where teams invest heavily in developing unique visual solutions within the constraints of the sport’s technical regulations.
Brand, aesthetics and merchandise
It is not just the functionality of the engine that causes the buzz among F1 fans, it is the distinctive appearance of a sleek aesthetic that enables the teams to increase their fanbase and develop a productive line of merchandise as well. Due to their ability to preserve the car’s aesthetic and use it to market products like car toys and collector miniature cars, F1 and its teams benefit greatly from this.
Trade marks and team identity
Another key IP right used within Formula One is trade mark protection.
Team names such as Scuderia Ferrari are protected by extensive trade mark registrations. These registrations allow teams to control how their name and brand are used, ensure product quality across licensed goods and clearly distinguish one team from another within a crowded sporting environment, protecting the brand and the car’s uniqueness from those of other teams.
Trade mark protection is also essential for safeguarding sponsorship arrangements. Sponsors invest significant sums to be associated with Formula One teams, and trade marks help ensure that investment is properly protected and commercially exploited.
More recently, teams have gone further and are not only protecting their name but also those of their drivers, as well as the shape and appearance of helmets, clothing and other distinctive elements associated with the team.
For example, in 2017, the owners of Formula 1 obtained a trade mark on ‘Shoey’ as former driver Daniel Ricciardo used to celebrate his podium success with a ‘Shoey’ – celebrating by drinking champagne from a shoe. This trade mark is registered in 25 countries and is only able to be used in media with the permission of the owner.
Lando Norris, the current world champion, who drives for the McLaren F1 team, obtained a trade mark for his name in 2018 but obtained a further registration to protect his name in relation to drinks products in 2024.
Recent developments in Formula One intellectual property
Event names, locations and trade mark control
Looking ahead to the 2026 season, the relocation of the Spanish Grand Prix to Madrid highlights how tightly Formula One controls its event trade marks.
While Madrid will host the Spanish Grand Prix from 2026, Barcelona remains on the calendar under a different race name. This demonstrates that event titles such as “Spanish Grand Prix” are licensed intellectual property, not rights owned by the host city. The ability to separate location from brand enables Formula One to protect the long‑term value of its event names while adapting its calendar for commercial and strategic reasons.
For promoters and sponsors, this also underlines the importance of understanding exactly what rights are being licensed and for how long.
Driver numbers and evolving personal brands
Driver numbers are used extensively in merchandise, digital branding and sponsorship campaigns, and are often protected by trade mark registrations.
Being able to register their driver number as part of their brand creates new opportunities for drivers to refresh or reposition their personal brand at key moments in their careers, supported by updated IP strategies.
Once drivers are assigned their permanent F1 number, then they carry it with them throughout their career, from team to team. The only exception is if they win the world championship, in which case they are able to use No1 for the following season.
The rules are different for reserve drivers. Each team is allocated numbers to use in the event that one or both of their permanent drivers need to be replaced on a temporary basis. No racing driver has ever been brave enough to use No13 and no driver is able to select the No17 as a mark of respect for Jules Bianchi, who crashed and died in the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix.
Licensing, sponsorship and merchandise
Formula One has also continued to expand its licensing and sponsorship activity. Long‑term partnerships with global brands and high‑profile merchandise collaborations such as the production of officially licensed Formula One toy cars with Mattel to demonstrate how valuable the sport’s trade marks and design rights have become.
Last year F1 introduced the F1xDisney merchandise collection at the Miami Grand Prix and the drivers also drove around the circuit in cars made of Lego.
These arrangements allow Formula One and its teams to reach new audiences while maintaining strict control over how their brands are used, reinforcing the importance of strong intellectual property protection throughout the sport.
Speak to our intellectual property experts
IP protection is highly valuable in the F1 world, as it is in businesses generally. It is so important to understand the relevance and value this can add to your business. We can offer licensing, distribution and strategic advice on your brand and in relation to the product innovation that you want to roll out to your customers. Do not let copycats take that innovation – look to follow the F1 teams and lead from the front in your own industry.
If you have a query or would like to discuss your own circumstances, please request a consultation with a member of our specialist sport team.
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