Formula 1 (F1) has been a phenomenon among male and female sports lovers for a while, but what if I told you that one of the ways it brings more attention to a diverse female audience is through the beauty industry? Would you believe me?
The strategy here isn’t only about completing the fastest pit stop or overtaking the quickest cars on the track. The goal is to increase female participation in the sport while taking advantage of the sponsorship and capital investment to promote it each season.
Charlotte Tilbury
In 2024, the famous beauty brand Charlotte Tilbury became the first female-founded beauty brand to ever launch a global sports sponsorship with the F1 Academy, a category dedicated to developing the next generation of female drivers for higher levels of motorsport, including the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) F1 World Championship.
The collaboration has pushed an empowering message while boosting young talents. Besides that, the sponsorship increased the appeal to female fans and participants, promoting inclusion and gender diversity, while mixing the luxury of the sport with the girl-coding of the brand in the motorsport world.
Rhode
Much of the female representation comes from the drivers’ “wives and girlfriends” (WAGs). One who’s recently been in the spotlight for her lifestyle, flawless posture, unique outfit choices, and elegance is Alexandra Saint-Mleux. Saint-Mleux is an art history student, social media influencer, and Charles Leclerc’s girlfriend.
Saint-Mleux attracted attention toward Hailey Bieber’s brand, Rhode, by simply being herself. Her personality has many similarities with the brand identity, bringing the clean, sophisticated aesthetics of both to mix with the male-dominated motorsport.
In the racing world, every trend spreads quickly. After Saint-Mleux became one of Rhodes’s faces, some other WAGs around the paddock also started to collaborate with different beauty brands, clothing brands, or watch companies.
L’Oréal Paris
Another prominent WAG is the Portuguese model, influencer, and actress, Kika Gomes, who’s also Pierre Gasly’s girlfriend. Gomes also got a space in the Hailey Bieber brand, attending a Rhode event in Miami last year. However, she really got the spotlight with L’Oréal Paris.
In September of this year, Gomes showed what it means to walk your worth by walking in the L’Oréal Paris “Le Défilé” show during Paris Fashion Week in September 2025, alongside Kendall Jenner and other celebrities.
Yes, her fans were proud: orgulhosa! This was not your average model walking down the runway. Gomes made history, becoming the first Portuguese model to take part in this event and represent the brand at the show. She showed her worth and stood for her nation flawlessly.
If you’re thinking I’m going out of line and away from F1, don’t worry; it’s all connected. The plot here is another L’Oréal global brand ambassador, who’s none other than Carlos Sainz Jr., the Spanish driver for Williams.
This was another smooth operation for our “Smooth Operator” driver. His partnership with the brand started in May this year, specifically for the L’Oréal Men Expert and Elvive hair care lines, including the Elvive Growth Booster, which is highly fitting. I mean, we’re all kind of obsessed with his prince hair.
F1 is becoming more popular each day, and its audience is growing towards a more sustainable, competitive, and diverse sport. It’s impressive to see how beauty has its way of influencing and playing a crucial role in people’s lives!
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