Words: Aobh O'Brien-Moody
There’s more to Formula One racing than – well, racing. For decades, the F1 paddock has served as a makeshift catwalk of sorts, its drivers (and A-list attendees) dressed to impress, giving new meaning to the term ‘fast fashion’. Maybe it’s something to do with the glitz and glamour of it all, maybe it’s the synergy between the high-octane worlds of racing and fashion, but it seems that F1 might just be the world’s most stylish sporting event.
With the buzz around F1 racing reaching fever pitch, we take a look at five of the most stylish F1 drivers of all time.
James Hunt
Image via Getty.
Image via Getty.
Winner of the 1976 Formula One World Championship, British racer James Hunt was considered the bad boy of motorsports. This was reflected in his distaste for dressing up: he was far more comfortable in lived-in jeans and tattered tees than in any kind of showy regalia, even on formal occasions. Hunt’s most iconic look, however, is the red driving suit that he regularly sported over a simple roll-neck top, complete with his famous windswept blonde locks.
Ayrton Senna
Image via Getty.
Image via Getty.
Three-time Formula One World Champion Ayrton Senna is widely regarded as one of the greatest drivers – and dressers – to have graced the planet. His minimal ‘90s outfits – usually characterised by oversized logo tees (his own logo, of course), blue jeans and plain white sneakers – were just about always topped off with his iconic blue Nacional cap. If anyone could pull off a bank-branded accessory, it was Senna.
Stirling Moss
Image via Getty.
Image via Getty.
The greatest driver who never won a world championship, British motor racing driver Sir Stirling Moss drove using his instinct, bringing a sense of effortlessness to the sport of Formula One. Like driving, style was something that came naturally to Moss. He favoured classic silhouettes and tailored cuts, refined knitwear and simple accessories. Channel Moss’ mid-century elegance in a cutaway collar shirt and chunky cable knit cardigan.
Jenson Button
A lodestar of British racing, the one-time world champion’s career was largely defined by a driving style that has often been billed as silky, economical and pragmatic. He also takes this approach into his wears, frequently leaning towards menswear staples – plain T-Shirts, casual blazers, slim-fit trousers – all of which act as a perfect foil to his conventionally rugged looks.
Lewis Hamilton
Image via Getty.
Image via Getty.
An icon on and off the track, Lewis Hamilton might just be the world’s most fashionable sports star of our time. In between winning championship titles, he’s been busy cultivating a distinctive streetwear-inspired look, experimenting with colours, prints and silhouettes or packing a punch in monochrome. If one thing’s for sure: the bolder, the better.
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