Key Highlights:
- Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell will swap their traditional black and turquoise race suits for special purple designs at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
- Created in partnership with Brazilian financial institution Nubank, the apparel pays tribute to Brazil’s golden era of Formula 1 alongside nods to local motorsport icons Ayrton Senna and Nelson Piquet.
- Mercedes enters the race weekend at Interlagos with an opportunity to officially seal the 2026 constructors’ championship title.
Mercedes Unveils Special Purple Livery for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix
The Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula 1 Team is set to showcase a bold aesthetic change at this weekend’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix. World champion Kimi Antonelli and teammate George Russell will step away from their standard black and turquoise driver overalls, opting instead for bespoke purple race suits across all on-track sessions at the AutĂłdromo JosĂ© Carlos Pace.
The unique visual overhaul was formally introduced on Tuesday at Nubank Parque in Sao Paulo, the home stadium of football club Palmeiras. The project stems from the squad’s continued commercial and creative collaboration with Brazilian digital banking giant Nubank. Reacting to the announcement on social media, Antonelli shared his enthusiasm via Instagram: Inspired by the past. Built for the New. Welcome, to the Nu Era,
adding, New look for this weekend!
Retro Aesthetics Meet Modern Partnership
Crafted directly by Mercedes, the overalls draw heavy inspiration from classic motorsport apparel worn throughout the 1980s and 1990s—a historic era defined by the championship-winning reigns of Brazilian racing legends Ayrton Senna and Nelson Piquet. Centered around the campaign banner Inspired by the Golden Era, Built for the New Era
, the design incorporates two distinct purple hues tied to Nubank’s branding portfolio. The deep base tone represents the bank’s premium Ultravioleta card, while the lighter shade highlights its broader customer base.
The official launch was supported by a promotional film featuring both Antonelli and Russell, narrated by Brazilian actor Gabriel Leone—famed for portraying Ayrton Senna in Netflix’s biographical miniseries. Amplifying the cultural tribute, the production features the iconic Tema da Vitoria soundtrack, the celebrated instrumental theme broadcast on TV Globo to commemorate Brazilian Formula 1 victories.
Expanding on Previous Collaborative Success
This initiative represents the second instance during the 2026 season that Mercedes has embraced an alternate palette. Earlier this year at the Miami Grand Prix in May, the Brackley-based team fielded three distinct purple overalls throughout the three-day event, with each garment featuring geographical coordinates tracking Nubank’s corporate expansion—a weekend that culminated in a victory for Antonelli.
Victoria Johnson, marketing operations chief at Mercedes, noted that the enthusiastic global reception to the Florida activation prompted the team to expand the concept in Brazil:
The partnership with Nu is based on finding bold and meaningful ways to bring fans closer to our team. The purple race suits are an excellent expression of that ambition, uniting Nu’s unmistakable identity with our own while celebrating the incredible passion Brazil has for Formula 1. After the reaction to our purple suits in Miami earlier this year, it is exciting to take this concept even further in Sao Paulo and create something unique for one of the most passionate race weekends of the season.Advertisement
Nubank co-founder Cristina Junqueira also underscored the local significance of the round:
The Sao Paulo Grand Prix is a special round for Brazilians, for Nubank, because it takes place in the city where it was founded, and for the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team drivers.
Alongside the race weekend activities, fans and Nubank account holders can view the garments firsthand at the Nubank House exhibition hosted at the Palmeiras stadium through Sunday. The installation features an array of historic items, including a replica Mercedes W17 chassis and a race suit worn by Lewis Hamilton during the 2021 season.
Why This Matters
The activation highlights the surging commercial value and viewership of Formula 1 in South America. According to Ibope audience data published by Nubank, the first 10 rounds of the 2026 season reached 52.8 million individuals in Brazil, eclipsing the total domestic audience recorded across the entire 2025 calendar.
Beyond commercial visibility, the weekend at Interlagos carries monumental athletic stakes for Mercedes. If race results align in their favor on Sunday afternoon, the team stands to mathematically clinch the 2026 Formula 1 constructors’ championship on Brazilian soil.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Mercedes drivers wearing purple suits in Sao Paulo?
Kimi Antonelli and George Russell are wearing purple race suits as part of a promotional partnership with Brazilian financial platform Nubank. The suits reflect Nubank’s signature brand colors—incorporating tones from its core identity and its Ultravioleta card—while paying homage to 1980s and 1990s Formula 1 styling.
When was the last time Mercedes raced in purple suits?
Mercedes previously showcased three separate purple suit designs during the Miami Grand Prix weekend in May 2026, marking their initial thematic collaboration of the season with Nubank.
Can Mercedes win the constructors’ championship this weekend?
Yes. Mercedes heads into the Sao Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos with a mathematical opportunity to secure the 2026 Formula 1 constructors’ championship title depending on their final points haul on Sunday.
