Why F1 Drivers Love Padel as Aston Martin Becomes the Latest Team to Embrace the Sport

Aston Martin brings Formula 1 to the padel court

Padel has become increasingly popular among Formula 1 drivers, with Fernando Alonso and George Russell teaming up on court and Pierre Gasly taking his interest further by investing in his own team. Aston Martin has now strengthened the connection between the sport and the F1 paddock by launching a new collection of padel rackets.

Ahead of the 2026 United States Grand Prix, Aston Martin announced a collaboration with racket sports brand Padeltek. The partnership makes Aston Martin the first Formula 1 team to formally work with a company specialising in padel and pickleball.

The initial collection includes three padel rackets and accompanying cover bags, while pickleball equipment is scheduled to follow in 2027. Aston Martin marked the launch with an event in Austin, where Jenson Button, Jessica Hawkins, Jak Crawford and Pedro de la Rosa played on court.

Matt Chapman, Aston Martin’s Head of Licensing and Merchandise, said the sport’s rapid growth and popularity within the paddock created an opportunity to reach new audiences.

“Padel was a particularly interesting opportunity given its incredible growth and the natural connection it has developed with the Formula 1 paddock,” Chapman told F1.com.

“We’ve seen how popular the sport has become among drivers and teams, but the appeal goes much further than that. It has a global and diverse community, which presents an exciting opportunity for us to connect with new audiences and explore a different side of our brand.”

Chapman said Aston Martin also wanted the partnership to deliver more than branded equipment, with the collection designed to reflect the team’s identity while meeting the practical demands of padel.

“Authenticity was really important to us from the outset. We wanted to create something that went beyond simply putting our name on a product, ensuring the collection genuinely reflected both our identity and the demands of the sport.

Working with Padeltek allowed us to bring together their expertise in padel equipment, with our own design. We wanted the collection to feel unmistakably Aston Martin, while ensuring the products were designed to perform on court. Striking that balance between design, functionality and performance was key.”

Why Formula 1 drivers are embracing padel

Aston Martin’s Chief Marketing Officer, Rob Bloom, believes the competitive similarities between Formula 1 and padel have helped drive the sport’s popularity among drivers and teams.

“There’s a natural crossover between the two sports, particularly when you consider the competitive mindset and the importance of quick thinking, precision and reaction times,” Bloom told F1.com.

“Padel has become a sport that has brought people together, whether that’s drivers, team members or fans, and it’s become a great way for the paddock to connect away from the intensity of a race weekend.”

Padel combines elements of tennis and squash. It is generally played in doubles on an enclosed court surrounded by glass walls and fencing. The scoring system is similar to tennis, but players serve underarm, use solid rackets and can return the ball after it rebounds off the surrounding walls.

Its rapid rallies require quick reactions, communication and teamwork, skills that also matter in Formula 1. Mike Dale, Editor of The Padel Paper, said the sport’s accessibility is a major attraction for professional athletes.

“Padel has indeed become really popular with current and ex-sportsmen and women. The sport is obviously very trendy and quite a lot of the emerging clubs are quite high-end, so the environment is attractive to people from the equally glamorous F1 world,” he told F1.com.

“But the biggest reason is that padel is very easy to become quite good at quite quickly, particularly if you’ve got a baseline of athleticism, sporting ability and hand-eye coordination. And that feeling of being ‘good’ quite quickly is very addictive!”

The social side of the sport has also made it popular in the paddock. Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc are among the drivers who regularly play away from the track. Ahead of the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix, Norris and Gabriel Bortoleto were seen playing together, while Alex Albon said drivers had created a group chat to arrange late-night matches during race weekends.

The competitive instinct remains evident even when drivers are away from the pressure of a Grand Prix. Fernando Alonso has played padel for well over a decade and revealed during the 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix weekend that he and Russell had an unbeaten record as a team.

“I was [impressed by Russell]. I’ve been playing padel for, 12 or 15 years,” Alonso said.

“But I think George is quite new to it and he was strong. And we are unbeatable at the moment! We play once and it’s 100% dominant wins!”

Russell described padel as a welcome hobby during the later stages of the season.

“Team mates on the padel court, 100% record against our competitors. It’s always nice to do that as a sport, I’ve been getting into it a little bit as this year has progressed, and especially this time of the season, you spend a lot of time away, so it’s nice to have a hobby on the side.”

Piastri has also acknowledged that the drivers approach their matches seriously.

“We take it far too seriously, yes. But it’s very good fun and a good way of, you know, just keeping yourself awake.”

Pierre Gasly takes his padel interest into team ownership

While many Formula 1 drivers play padel recreationally, Pierre Gasly has become involved in the business of the sport. The Alpine driver is an investor in 10Padel, a team competing in the Hexagon Cup, an international padel competition that has attracted several high-profile investors.

“Padel is something I really enjoy in my daily life, and I believe it’s a sport with incredible business potential,” Gasly told Reuters in February 2026. “I’m happy to be a part of its growth through my team.”

Gasly has said that exploring interests beyond Formula 1 is important to him.

“Formula 1 opens many opportunities. While I wake up thinking about F1 and fall asleep thinking about it, there’s more to life. I want to discover other things and mix them with my passions,” he explained.

Could F1 partnerships expand padel’s audience?

The relationship between Formula 1 and padel continues to develop as drivers promote the sport and teams become directly involved. For Aston Martin, the Padeltek collaboration provides a way to connect with fans outside the traditional motorsport environment.

“Formula 1 has an incredibly diverse fanbase, and for Aston Martin, it’s about finding authentic ways to meet fans on their terms – that means in their communities beyond motorsport. Padel is a great example of that.

Collaborations like this allow fans to engage with the team through something they enjoy themselves, creating a connection that extends beyond the racetrack. Ultimately, we want to be part of the conversations and communities that matter to our fans, wherever their interests lie.”

Dale said partnerships involving F1 teams and drivers could raise padel’s profile further as investment grows across clubs, technology, equipment and apparel.

“These F1 and padel partnerships help raise padel’s profile even more. There’s a massive investor buzz around padel, with new clubs, tech, equipment and apparel being launched on a daily basis.”

He also pointed to the influence of prominent figures such as football legends David Beckham, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in encouraging new audiences to try the sport.

“When people see these celebrities on their social timelines holding a racket and smiling, it raises public awareness and curiosity about the game. It also makes it aspirational. ‘If Beckham or Lando’s doing it, I want to try it too!'”

Padel has already appeared at Grand Prix venues, with courts installed at Silverstone in recent years and a dedicated area created for the United States Grand Prix in Austin. Dale believes the sport’s quick learning curve makes it especially accessible to fans who want to follow their favourite drivers onto the court.

“Almost anyone can go on court and have enjoyable rallies straight away – friends, families, all ages and abilities. You quite quickly get that magic feeling of ‘I can do this!’, which then equally quickly becomes, ‘I’m good at this!’ and that’s very addictive.”

Why This Matters

Padel is becoming a more visible part of Formula 1 culture, linking drivers, teams and fans through a sport that combines competition with a strong social element. Aston Martin’s partnership with Padeltek gives that connection a formal commercial dimension, while Gasly’s investment in 10Padel shows how F1 figures are also participating in the sport’s wider business growth.

With padel courts appearing at Grand Prix venues and more F1 drivers playing regularly, collaborations with Formula 1 teams could introduce the sport to new audiences. Aston Martin’s collection is the first step in its partnership with Padeltek, with pickleball equipment planned for 2027.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is padel?

Padel is a racket sport that combines elements of tennis and squash. It is usually played in doubles on an enclosed court, with underarm serves, solid rackets and walls that players can use when returning the ball.

Which Formula 1 drivers play padel?

Fernando Alonso, George Russell, Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc are among the drivers known to play padel. Alex Albon has also discussed drivers organising matches during race weekends.

What is Aston Martin’s padel partnership?

Aston Martin has partnered with Padeltek to launch three padel rackets and cover bags. It is the first Formula 1 team to formally partner with a company specialising in padel and pickleball, with pickleball equipment planned for 2027.