Williams Racing brings the Doctor Doom livery to New York Comic Con
Williams Racing unveiled its special Doctor Doom-inspired livery earlier this month as part of its ongoing collaboration with Marvel. The design replaced the team’s familiar blue with the Marvel villain’s signature black-and-green color scheme and appeared on an FW48 show car rather than the race cars of Alex Albon or Carlos Sainz.
The striking reveal made its debut at New York Comic Con, where Williams displayed the FW48 alongside superhero-inspired race suits and exclusive merchandise. The New York appearance formed part of an immersive experience celebrating the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday film, bringing Formula 1 together with one of the world’s best-known entertainment franchises.
Neither Albon nor Sainz will race with the Doctor Doom design. Fans attending the United States Grand Prix can instead see the car at the Williams Fan Zone in Austin, where it is scheduled to remain on display through the race weekend.
Albon, Sainz and James Vowles enter the Marvel Universe
The collaboration began in April, when Williams announced that Albon, Sainz and Team Principal James Vowles would make their Marvel Comics debut in the one-shot comic Iron Man: Racing Towards Doom. The story sends the Williams trio into a challenge very different from their Formula 1 rivals, with Doctor Doom threatening to disrupt the racing season.
Albon, Sainz and Vowles receive help from familiar Marvel heroes as they try to stop the supervillain from carrying out his plans. Iron Man, Black Widow and Captain America join the Williams drivers in a 32-page story combining superhero action, dramatic illustrations and numerous Formula 1 references.
Ethan Sacks wrote the comic, while Greg Land provided the artwork. It is set for a wider U.S. release on October 21, shortly before the Grand Prix in Austin. A special Austin edition will also be available at the Williams Fan Zone.
The long history of superheroes, sport and Formula 1
Dr Miriam Kent, Lecturer in Film and Media at the University of Leeds and author of Women in Marvel Films, said the relationship between superheroes and sport is not new. She placed the Williams project within a history of superhero publishers working with sports teams or featuring famous athletes:
“We can look back to the history of superhero publishers working with sports teams or featuring famous athletes – going back to the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, even,” she explains. “Superhero comics have always had an odd relationship to the ‘real world’, but it’s not unusual to find references to public figures or sports teams. The Thing in Fantastic Four is a fan of the New York Jets, I believe.”
Kent also highlighted the experience of Iron Man: Racing Towards Doom writer Ethan Sacks in connecting major entertainment properties across different media:
“The writer [of the Williams comic] has a strong reputation for working on tie-in comics for Star Wars. He’ll be an old hand at extending universes across media – even if those universes are part of our real world.”
Marvel campaign expands across the 2026 Formula 1 season
Williams’ partnership with Marvel extends well beyond the comic book, with special-edition covers released throughout the 2026 season. The campaign began with an activation at the Miami Grand Prix featuring Marvel artwork and a giant comic-book-cover photo opportunity before continuing to races elsewhere on the calendar.
Limited-edition covers have celebrated Grands Prix in Monaco, Great Britain, Spain and Singapore. Further editions for the United States and Las Vegas give fans the opportunity to build a collection of the Williams and Marvel releases. The team has also introduced a Marvel-themed digital badge for Williams ID members, complete with exclusive digital assets tied to the partnership.
Kent saw a natural connection between Formula 1’s technological innovations and a superhero genre that frequently explores advanced machinery and engineering:
“I think there is something to be said about Marvel affiliating itself with the cutting-edge technology that’s involved in F1. Again, there is a history of this – going back all the way to Iron Man, Marvel had a partnership with [car company] Audi. Tony Stark drove an R8 in the film, and Audi featured the character in its own marketing.
“The superhero genre has long been concerned with what it means to push the limits of technology, where the boundaries are between humans and technology. A lot of the appeal is the tech superheroes have access to. So in a way, cars and superheroes make sense.”
New York Comic Con turns the collaboration into a fan experience
Held from October 8 to 11, New York Comic Con placed the Williams and Marvel partnership among some of the biggest names in comics and entertainment. Williams had a dedicated experience within Marvel’s exhibition space, allowing visitors to explore comic-book artwork, superhero-inspired race suits and interactive displays.
Attendees could collect one of 2,000 copies of the comic printed with an exclusive New York Comic Con cover. Race-worn suits and boots belonging to Albon and Sainz were also offered for purchase, while a competition gave fans the chance to win one of the special Marvel-inspired race suits.
The Doctor Doom FW48 heads to the Williams Fan Zone in Austin
Fans who missed the New York Comic Con unveiling can see the special livery in Texas this week. The Williams Fan Zone in downtown Austin will display the Marvel-inspired FW48 show car from October 19 through October 24.
The Fan Zone will also stock the special Austin edition of Iron Man: Racing Towards Doom and host interactive racing experiences. Scheduled appearances include Albon, Vowles, reserve driver Luke Browning and 1996 World Champion Damon Hill.
Why This Matters
The Williams and Marvel partnership has developed into a multi-format F1 activation rather than a one-off livery reveal. The Doctor Doom FW48, the Williams drivers’ comic-book adventure, special-edition race covers, digital badges, race suits and merchandise connect the team’s on-track identity with Marvel’s film, publishing and fan ecosystems.
Kent’s comments provide the broader context: superhero stories have long referenced athletes and sports teams, while the genre’s interest in advanced technology has natural parallels with Formula 1. The next stated opportunities for fans are the Austin Fan Zone display, the comic’s wider U.S. release on October 21 and the additional United States and Las Vegas editions of the Williams collectible covers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Alex Albon or Carlos Sainz race the Doctor Doom FW48?
No. The black-and-green design is on an FW48 show car, and neither Albon nor Sainz will race with it.
Where and when can fans see the special livery in Austin?
The Williams Fan Zone in downtown Austin will display the Marvel-inspired FW48 show car from October 19 to 24. The venue will also offer the Austin edition of the comic and host appearances by Albon, Vowles, Luke Browning and Damon Hill.
When is Iron Man: Racing Towards Doom released, and who created it?
The 32-page one-shot is scheduled for a wider U.S. release on October 21. Ethan Sacks wrote the story and Greg Land supplied the artwork, with Alex Albon, Carlos Sainz and James Vowles appearing alongside Iron Man, Black Widow and Captain America.
