Mickey & Friends Return to the Formula 1 Grid with Major Disney Partnership Expansion [Exclusive]

When Disney and Formula 1 first launched their partnership at the Las Vegas Grand Prix in 2025, it was immediately clear that this collaboration would expand beyond a pure 'licensing deal'. The global Formula 1 fanbase took pause to watch Mickey Mouse's takeover of the Bellagio Fountains, blurring the lines between motorsport, lifestyle, and the cultural moment that comes with a household name like Disney.

Now, in 2026, that moment is backed by infrastructure. Instead of centering on a single marquee race, the campaign will travel around the globe with the race calendar, aligning the Disney brand with Grand Prixs and digital touchpoints throughout the season.

Disney and Formula 1 have announced the expansion of their multi-year "Fuel the Magic" collaboration, including an original WEBTOON series, a collaboration with eyewear giant Gentle Monster, 'Fuel the Magic' fanzones and merchandise at select races, global consumer products, and exclusive social content.

The season-long collaboration will begin at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne before a full rollout at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, with additional race weekends set to feature "Fuel the Magic" activations in 2026.

Building an F1 community-first collaboration

At the center of the "Fuel the Magic" expansion is a shared desire for both Disney and Formula 1 to emphasize collective experiences around the globe. Both brands see this as the anchor point to reach both of their audiences – especially as Formula 1 continues to expand.

Disney and Formula 1 Exclusive Mickey Mouse Plushie | Courtesy of Disney

Rather than anchoring activations to a single race, the campaign will travel alongside the championship itself. While some races on the calendar will serve as marquee events with full trackside fan zones and exclusive merch, there will be Disney touchpoints at every race, whether online or on the track.

Tasia Filippatos, President of Disney Consumer Products, shared her ethos for Disney and Formula 1's collaboration with Grand Prix on SI.

"We believe the most powerful stories are the ones people experience together. Formula 1 is a global community built on passion, suspense, and shared moments—values that naturally align with Disney stories. Through this collaboration, we’re bringing together the emotion of racing and the heart of Disney to create consumer products, content, and experiences that feel authentic to fans.”
Tasia Filippatos, Disney

That emphasis on storytelling has been a defining element of the Disney brand for over a century, evolving into a consumer brand powerhouse that directly aligns with the growth and storytelling that Formula 1 has mastered with 'Drive to Survive', the F1 Movie, and numerous other fan touchpoints.

For 2026, that storytelling will come at a regular cadence. Digital WEBTOON chapters will be released alongside Grand Prix weekends, retail drops will be timed with races, and immersive moments will be designed to 'reflect the energy of each host city and the personalities of Disney’s Mickey & Friends'.

Digital storytelling with WEBTOON

The first activation of the expanded campaign will roll out at the Australian Grand Prix in just over one week. Disney and WEBTOON will debut a Mickey x Formula 1 'Racing to the Top' series on March 6.

Disney x F1 Webtoon Samples | Courtesy of Disney

The original, vertical comic series will release in tandem with the race weekend in Melbourne, and new episodes will drop in cadence with each race across the 2026 season as Mickey follows the F1 season to 24 races across five continents.

The series is inspired by the 'high-octane' thrills and teamwork of Formula 1, following Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy who work together to support a racing team in crisis.

It's no secret that Formula 1's audience has exploded over the past few years. Not just in hotspot territories like the United States, but across demographics worldwide. One of those demographics is the younger generation, who were likely raised on these iconic Disney characters.

Retail experiences on and off the track

After the 2026 Formula 1 Series 'premiere' in Australia (and an exclusive Mickey Mouse F1 plushie launching at the race), the Disney and Formula 1 collaboration will shift focus to the Chinese Grand Prix with its first large-scale physical retail and fan experience on track.

Disney and F1 Merchandise Uniqlo Launch | Courtesy of Disney

Similar to Shanghai, Formula 1 races throughout the 2026 calendar will feature “Fuel the Magic” fanzone retail pop-ups inspired by the unique culture of each host city. Certain race weekends will incorporate special Disney entertainment elements designed to reflect the 'personality' of each stop on the calendar.

Alongside the selected marquee races, a core Disney x Formula 1 collection will be available at the F1 Hub and Grand Prix Plaza, as well as online at F1.com and through the Amazon F1 store in the United States.

The effect of blending digital and tangible touchpoints is intentional. Disney is incorporating itself into the fabric of Formula 1, adapting to the 'rhythm' and 'speed' of the race calendar. The dimension of fashion and wearable pieces deepens that approach.

Formula 1 has excelled in reaching a balance between the historic F1 luxury and new-age fan accessibility over the past couple of seasons, and the Disney partnership will do the same through both Uniqlo and Gentle Monster collaborations.

Gentle Monster Disney and F1 Collaboration | Courtesy of Disney

The Gentle Monster’s 2026 Circuit Collection features sleek, lightweight pieces that fuse racing themes, such as the 'rear wing' sunglasses, with Disney and Formula 1-branded sunglasses. This launch will be accompanied by experiences in Seoul and Shanghai over the next few weeks.

Piecing these physical touchpoints together with digital touchpoints writes a colorful story for Disney and Formula 1. The expansion reflects the shift from the one-off spectacle in Las Vegas to a campaign designed to feel as though it has always been part of the Formula 1 Calendar.

Disney moving alongside the calendar

What began as a showstopping digital moment in 2025 has become a high-visibility crossover that reads more as a strategic integration of two incredibly powerful, global brands and ecosystems.

Disney and Formula 1 Core Collection | Courtesy of Disney

Disney and Formula 1 have positioned "Fuel the Magic" as a travelling narrative that mirrors the rhythm of the season itself. As Emily Prazer, Chief Commercial Officer of Formula 1 put it, this is more than a "sports partnership."

"The continuation of our ‘Fuel the Magic’ campaign with Disney is far greater than just a sports partnership, but one that leverages both Formula 1 and Disney’s power of immersive cultural storytelling and engaging entertainment."
Emily Prazer, CCO, Formula 1

The trend that the sports world has continued to follow in recent years is that fans expect more from brand partnerships. More than logos. More than branding. Disney and Formula 1 have answered that call on a global scale — beyond the confines of just one race.