Source:REUTERS/Jakub Porzycki
[Saba Sports News] When George Russell shared Adidas’s equipment upgrades in Shanghai, his racing rival—Ferrari driver and global ambassador for Puma, Charles Leclerc—interpreted the deep connection between the sports brand Puma and F1 in another way. On the eve of the F1 Chinese Grand Prix, Puma hosted an immersive pop-up event themed around racing at the West Bund Dream Center in Shanghai. The scale of the event reflected Puma’s significant focus on the Chinese market—Leclerc appeared alongside Patrick Zhang, Puma’s spokesperson for Greater China, and they conducted a live broadcast through Tmall’s official flagship store. At the event, Leclerc’s presence ignited the enthusiasm of Ferrari fans. He expressed that every time he comes to Shanghai, he can feel the unique energy that racing culture brings. Talking about the pop-up experience, Leclerc noted that it effectively recreated the atmosphere of a team’s hospitality area, allowing more people to gain an understanding of the environment and teamwork behind racing. According to reports, Puma has a deep-rooted relationship with F1. Since the 2005 season, Puma has been the official partner of the Ferrari team, providing equipment and merchandise, and this collaboration has spanned over twenty years. In January 2026, Puma expanded its partnership again—establishing a multi-year global strategic collaboration with McLaren. By the 2026 season, Puma was simultaneously sponsoring three F1 teams: Ferrari, McLaren, and Aston Martin, making it the sports brand with the most top-tier teams in the paddock.
The editor believes that F1 offers multiple values to sports brands. The extreme environment of racing serves as the ultimate test for the breathability, fire resistance, and lightweight performance of equipment. Securing a partnership with an F1 team is in itself the best proof of the product’s quality.