The ultimate Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix 2026 off-track activity wrap
How brands, teams and athletes showed up during the Formula 1 Qatar Airways Australian Grand Prix
Happy Hour Sports Industry Networking Event
Back by popular demand - We’re excited to be teaming up with MEE Agency again to host our first Happy Hour Sports Industry Networking event for 2026 in Melbourne.
Melbourne, have you purchased your tickets yet?
Event details:
Date: Thursday 26 March
Time: 3:00pm - 6.30pm
Venue: Royal Saxon, Richmond
Tickets: $27
Welcome back our amazing event partners 🤝
Sport Design Australia - A top-tier sports creative agency built to fill the gaps of modern sporting teams. They’re experts in brand, design, content and creative support for sport, trusted by top local & global sports organisations such as the NFL, Paramount+, Cricket Victoria, NZ Rugby and more. They focus on work that builds brand, engages fans and increases revenue, with a keen eye for top quality work. Check out their Instagram here. Looking for creative support? Reach out to Ryan.
Royal Saxon Hotel - Our venue partner and the perfect setting for a fun afternoon with the sports industry.
What to expect?
Check out previous events here.
Cant wait to connect over a drink! Cheers 🍻 🥂
Geelong Cats announced Mitre 10 as its Official Hardware Partner for both its AFL and AFLW programs, and as the Presenting Partner of the AFL and AFLW Trade and Draft period - Mitre 10 branding and activations will feature across match days, digital content, key calendar moments, and in-store events at Geelong locations
North Melbourne FC and Dulux renewed their partnership for a further 3 seasons, which will see the paint brand continue to feature on Club training footballs, work with the community arm (The Huddle), and deliver support initiatives such as ‘Colour Your Club’, which helps refresh and reinvigorate local football and netball clubs
Carlton FC welcomed law firm Maurice Blackburn as a Platinum Partner which is aiming to build brand awareness across the elite sporting landscape - it will feature across the Club’s training footballs, media banner and signage at IKON Park
Adelaide Crows entered into a new 3-year partnership with law firm Thomson Geer which will have naming rights to the Club’s Chairman’s events
Collingwood FC announced that Niterra (leading automotive supplier) has joined the Club as a Platinum Partner and the Coaches’ Partner for the AFL and VFL teams in 2026
Collingwood FC and Breitling launched a limited-edition timepiece that captures the spirit, tradition and contemporary edge of the two brands - Brietling also recently entered into a new partnership with the World Surf League
Hawthorn FC unveiled a new partnership with V Energy which will have a presence across the Club’s social media channels and game days
Western Bulldogs secured a new partnership with sustainable battery-powered outdoor equipment brand, Greenworks - this comes at a similar time the brand also entered into a new partnership with the Cronulla Sharks
South Sydney Rabbitohs added City Fertility to its sponsorship roster - the partnership will help build awareness around men’s reproductive health and the role men play in conception
Dolphins welcomed leading global brand Linglong Tire as its Official Tyre Partner for the 2026 season - Linglong Tire’s sporting portfolio also includes high-profile partnerships with Chelsea FC and Real Madrid
Gold Coast Titans announced Easi as a new Official Partner of the club for the next 2 years - the industry leader in novated leasing and salary packaging will become the Official Presenting Partner of the ‘Titans in Business’ program
Wests Tigers unveiled GSA Insurance Brokers as the Naming Rights Partner of the Wests Tigers Business Club
Parramatta Eels announced MTC FutureReady as the Club’s first-ever Official Community Partner - the two organisations will co-design programs for the community, ensuring individuals can access education and employment support that fits real life
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles confirmed New Age Veneers and Zantac as its Back of Shorts Partners for the 2026 NRL Season
World Surf League and Fatboy Bikes expanded their partnership in 2026 - Fatboy will now be the ‘Official E-Bike Partner’ for WSL Australia and WSL Portugal, activating across four CT events and a singular Challenger Series stop
World Surf League announced the continuation of its partnership with mophie for the 2026 season, which returns as the ‘Official Portable Charger’ for events in Tahiti, Gold Coast and Bells Beach
Netball Victoria welcomed Roll’d as a new partner in a 3-year agreement that will see the Australian fast, fresh Vietnamese food brand come on board as an Official Partner of the State Titles, Association Championships and School Championships
GIANTS Netball and Netball NSW unveiled High Sierra as the Official Away Day Partner of both the Netball NSW Pathways U17 and U19 teams and GIANTS Netball - it will provide Composite V4 Wheeled Duffle Bags to all athletes and High-Performance staff
Volleyball Australia and Mahindra Australia extended their partnership through to LA 2028 - the automotive company will become the Naming Rights sponsor of the Australian Beach Tour and the National Super League
HCLTech became a partner of Hockey Victoria and will support the launch of the Melbourne Cobras, the newest team joining Australia’s Hockey One League this season - As part of the partnership, HCLTech will develop a digital fan engagement platform featuring live match insights, interactive content and personalisation to connect fans across Australia and India
Adelaide United announced global fintech Ebury as its Front of Shorts Partner
Queensland Rugby Union announced a new 3-year partnership with wealth management firm Morgans, aimed at supporting the state’s rugby pathways
Basketball Queensland entered into a new 2-year partnership with Snap Fitness which will give BQ members access to exclusive offers
Commonwealth Games Australia secured a new partnership with Zoomlite, which will provide high-performance luggage to 420+ athletes and officials of The Australian Commonwealth Games Team
Cricket Australia launched a branded hot air balloon to mark one year to go until the 150th Anniversary Test Match between Australia and England
Australian Sports Commission and CSIRO launched two pioneering guidelines to help everyone involved in sport – from grassroots to high performance – use artificial intelligence responsibly and effectively
AFL confirmed the line-up for the 2026 Pepsi Collective, the elevated match day offering at Adelaide Oval at the upcoming AFL Gather Round which includes Andy Murphy, DJ Piero, John Course, SGT Slick, Andrew Loadsman, Cyril and DJ Havana Brown
US Rapper Swae Lea paid a visit to the MCG and appeared on Channel 7’s post match coverage of the AFL in the Collingwood FC rooms
Collingwood FC player Pat Lipinski unveiled his first collaboration with streetwear brand Push Pull
Budget Direct launched the ‘Footy Charity Championship’ competition that leverages its sponsorships of the Dolphins, Melbourne Storm and South Sydney Rabbitohs - The initiative will see Budget Direct inject a total of $205,000 into vital community charities
Seven Network revealed its partners and sponsors for the 2026 AFL Premiership Season which include Toyota, McDonald’s, AAMI, Harvey Norman, Coles, Telstra, Sportsbet, Bunnings, Chemist Warehouse, Industry Super Funds, Hostplus, CBUS, NAB, Asahi Beverages, BWS, Colgate-Palmolive, Uber Eats, SEEK, OMO Ultimate, Disney, Bupa, Gulf Western Oil, Jim Beam, Betr, Equip Super and view.com.au
Seven Network’s Front Bar also secured partnerships with Lion (Premier Partner), Youi, BWS, Hyundai and Sportsbet
Formula 1 announced an extended multi-year broadcast deal with Kayo Sports, which will cover every race, qualifying session and practice for the 2027 season and beyond
Fresh off securing the NBL minor premiership and the launch of its “Banners Aren’t Raised Alone” campaign (a call for Sydney to get behind its team as they chase another championship) the Sydney Kings installed a pop-up custom half court at Bondi Beach, giving fans and families an opportunity to shoot hoops, win prizes and meet Sydney Kings players
AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ hit a major milestone, surpassing 250,000 tickets sold across the tournament
AFL launched its new ‘If you feel it, you’re in on it’ brand campaign (via TBWA) to celebrate the start of the 2026 Toyota AFL Premiership Season
UFC GYM and ClassPass launched a new collaboration that enables ClassPass users to use credits to book gym time at a UFC GYM
Nick Kyrgios joined the The Picklr (North American indoor pickleball brand) as an equity partner and athlete ambassador
The waitlist for the NFL game between the Los Angeles Rams and San Fransisco 49ers at the MCG later this year was reported to be approaching 200,000
The ultimate Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix 2026 off-track activity wrap
The brand activity around the Formula 1 Qatar Airways Australian Grand Prix was impossible to ignore.
Events, activations, advertising, stunts, celebrity appearances etc… Fresh off another remarkable Australian Open festival, Melbourne was yet again flooded with so much marketing activity tied to one of its major sports events.
The challenge? Keeping track of it all.
To make it easier, below is your one-stop snapshot of the commercial activity surrounding last weekend’s race…
The Formula 1 atmosphere wasn’t purely experienced at the track
The Australian Grand Prix Corporation (AGPC), teams and brands launched pop up events, activations and advertising campaigns that could be seen across all Melbourne’s key locations:
Fan Festival at Fed Square - here
Merchandise stores at Yarra Promenade here
Fan activation at Eastland Shopping Centre - here
Red Bull Fan Zone at Crown Riverwalk - here
Advertising from the AGPC and sponsors across trams, shopfronts, lifts large format OOH billboards, laneway murals, etc - here
Atlassian Williams F1 Fan Zone in the Atrium, Fed Square here
Cadillac F1 x Tommy Hilfiger Fan Pop-Up at the Emporium here
etc.
A number of sports-crossovers took place to build hype
Athletes, teams and sports often partner with one another in the form of a meet and great, jersey-swap or some other PR-themed exercise to create a value exchange, and achieve a common goal. The media activity this generates helps generate hype, expand audience reach, and create shareable moments that drive new, and deeper fan engagement. Some of last week’s cross-code promotion activity worth noticing:
Sports partnering with sports
Many of Australia’s biggest sports teams and athletes took part in F1 crossovers:
World Surf League at AusGP here
Oracle Red Bull Racing x Scotty James here
Audi Revolut F1 Team x Pat Cummins here
Atlassian Williams F1 Team x Western Bulldogs here
BWT Alpine F1 Team x Australian Men’s Cricket team here
TGR Haas F1 Team x Australian Wallabies here
BWT Alpine F1 Team x Carlton FC here
NFL x AusGP here
Max Gawn x Lewis Hamilton here
Glenn Maxwell x Oscar Paistri here
Supercars x AusGP here
Essendon FC x BWT Alpine Formula One Team here
Essendon FC x McLaren below
Related: Formula 1-themed events and cross-code collaborations (2025), Sports promoting... sports?
Audi Revolut F1 Team at AFLOAT
One of the more eye-catching brand activations across this year’s Australian Grand Prix was the Audi Revolut F1 Team’s on-water transformation of Melbourne’s Afloat bar.
The venue gave fans the opportunity to:
Watch all of the race sessions live on big screens
Explore pop-up activations (including driving simulators and immersive video experiences)
Get up close with the Audi Revolut F1 Team R26 show car
Here’s what it took to build the site.
*Afloat Melbourne is becoming a popular destination for large scale brand activations - During the Australian Open, Lacoste launched ‘Le Club Lacoste’.
Related: How brands are leveraging AO26 (part 2)
Sports apparel brands got active
PUMA and the McLaren Mastercard F1 Team united to bring together ‘Ignition Beach’ in St Kilda which featured:
McLaren Racing experience zone
MCL40 show car
Racing simulators
Hospitality zone to watch the race
Photo moments
*Mastercard was the Official Event Partner
Oscar Piastri made and appearance alongside Nedd Brockmann and Joanna Wietrzyk here
Lewis Hamilton appeared at lululemon’s store at the Emporium in Melbourne to launch his curated capsule collection, “The Lewis Hamilton Edit”.
Pop up stores and in-store activations delivered surprise & delight moments
Daniel Ricciardo’s Enchanté returned to Melbourne to celebrate the release of its newest Australian ‘Backyard Grand Prix’ collection, with a 4-day pop-up presented by Square.
Quad Lock’s brand ambassador, Oscar Piastri officially unveiled Quad Lock’s OP Pop-Up store in front of thousands of fans.
Quadrant, the gaming and lifestyle brand founded by Lando Norris, launched its first global pop-up store which featured exclusive apparel, custom heat-press services, and in-person experiences.
Culture Kings welcomed an Atlassian Williams F1 car into its Melbourne store
Running events were a popular choice for F1 teams and brands
Gatorade launched its ‘Run The Track’ running event, giving fans a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to race on the iconic Albert Park Circuit.
Nedd Brockmann hosted a fun run from PUMA’s ‘Ignition Beach’ pop activation in St Kilda to help promote PUMA’s Deviate NITRO 4 shoe.
Peloton joined forces with the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls F1 Team to transform Riviera Beach Club into a one-day-only fitness paddock, blending performance, community and recovery. The event opened with a Formation Lap Yoga Flow session, led by Peloton Instructor, Kirra Michel, before participants hit the streets for a 5K run guided by Jon Hosking, Erik Jager and Australian Guest Instructor, Tim Robards.
adidas hosted community morning runs from the Audi Revolut F1 Team activation at AFLOAT on the Yarra River.
The BWT Alpine Formula One Team joined forces with with Beforeyouspeak Coffee to host a run through the streets of Melbourne and a Hyrox-style workout… followed by coffee.
Red Bull Drift Kart Challenge… a different type of race
Oracle Red Bull Racing’s Isack Hadjar and Visa Cash App Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson took part in a ‘drift kart challenge’ alongside DJ Fisher, Supercars driver, Will Brown and drifting sensation, Mad Mike on a Melbourne rooftop.
FMCG, QSR and Alcohol brands created F1-themed products to leverage their partnerships and drive sales
Doritos activated its Loaded Food truck at Albert Park and gave fans the opportunity to eat them at its 15-metres-high Doritos Altitude tower which gave fans one of the best views of the track.
KitKat created a number of custom products to leverage its partnership as the Official Chocolate Bar of Formula 1, including a KitKat F1 Chocolate Car - a KitKat in the shape of an F1 car, the first of its kind globally.
Grill’d unveiled its new Oscar Piastri Chicken Burger and pack.
Tim Tam paid tribute to Oscar Piastri with a custom ‘Oscar’s’ branded pack - In the lead up to race day, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were signing packets of Tim Tam’s for fans here.
Pepsi served Pepsi-fueled cocktails and mocktails, inspired by some of the most iconic tracks, from its Planet Pepsi Bar.
Other brand activity worth noticing…
American Express expanded its partnership with the Australian Grand Prix to become the presenting partner of both the Lakeside Festival and Glamour on the Grid.
Airwallex commissioned a giant hand-painted mural of Oscar Piastri and hosted its ‘Airwallex Garage’ event that welcomed 200+ more than 200 customers and partners - here
RMIT were recently announced as an Event Supporter of the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix 2026 - The partnership connects RMIT students with a range of opportunities, including internships, that support career pathways in motorsport with a focus on STEM. As part of the partnership, it set up an activation space in Pit Stop Park.
MECCA returned with it’s ‘Beauty Pit Stop’ - a trackside beauty garage offering fast, race-ready touch-ups inspired by the speed of an F1 pit stop.
Jack Daniel’s created a fully branded bus that served cocktail tastings by day and acted as shuttle bus to its ‘Jack’s Street Party’ pop up at the Middle Park Hotel where it offered 4 days of racing, food, drinks, and entertainment.
In addition, St Kilda’s Hotel Esplanade (The Espy) played host to ‘Jack’s Karaoke at The Espy’ and ‘Jack’s Garage at The Espy’ which had a stacked lineup of Australian artists across 4 nights: Keli Holiday, Anna Lunoe, Slowly Slowly and The Presents.
Formula 1 fever continues to grow in Melbourne YoY
The Formula 1 Qatar Airways Australian Grand Prix 2026 set a new benchmark in 2026, attracting a record 483,934 spectators across the 4-day weekend, eclipsing the previous record of 465,498 in 2025. According to Meltwater analysis of conversations surrounding the 2026 major sports event between 2–8 March, the excitement was mirrored online see here.
This, combined with the massive brand investment above, are strong signals that major sporting events are becoming increasingly valuable platforms for cities, governments, teams, brands and athletes looking to capture attention at scale.
2XU - Head of Wholesale - ANZ
A-Leagues - Partnerships Manager
ACT Brumbies - Events & Operations Coordinator
Adelaide Crows - Head of Commercial Growth
Adelaide Crows - Marketing Coordinator
adidas - Manager, Field Key Accounts
adidas - Manager, Store Development - Pacific (12 Month Contract)
AFL - Project Manager
Amer Sports - Sports & Community Marketing Manager (Wilson)
Basketball Victoria - Media & Communications Specialist
Bastion - Strategy Manager
Brand Collective - Marketing Coordinator - Champion & Reebok
Brisbane Broncos - Corporate Sales Executive
Brisbane Racing Club - Digital Marketing Manager
Canon Australia - Manager - Experiential and Growth Marketing
Carlton FC - Commercial Business Connector
Carlton FC - Retail Team Lead
Collingwood FC - Campaign Coordinator
Collingwood FC - Club Integration Manager
Collingwood FC - Partnerships Digital Lead
Cricket Australia - Senior Manager, Strategy & Business Enablement
Cricket Victoria - Commercial Partnerships Manager
Entain Australia & New Zealand - Account Manager
Essendon FC - EFC Network Account Manager
Essendon FC - Head of Commercial Sales
EssilorLuxottica - Brand Partnerships & Activation Manager
Fanatics - Head of Operations (AUS/NZ)
Foot Locker - Digital Experience/ Lifecycle Lead
Foxtel Group - Acting Head of Sports Communications
Football Victoria - Executive Manager – Operations and Membership
Fremantle Dockers - Sales Executive
Hockey Victoria - Marketing & Communications Manager
Hostplus - Partnerships & Events Specialist
IRONMAN, Oceania - Live Content & Production Manager
JD Sports - Paid Media Manager
JD Sports - Project Manager
KOJO - Digital Account Executive
LSKD - Head of Marketing
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - Sponsorship and Campaigns Lead
Melbourne Park - Event Leader - CENTREPIECE
Melbourne Park - Partnerships and Premium Experiences Executive
Mizuno - Brand Manager
Mizuno - Digital Marketing Specialist
Netball Australia - Senior Content Manager (12-Month Parental Leave Cover)
Netball NSW - Social Media and Video Content Producer
Nike - Director of Stores, Pacific
Nike - Lead, Account Marketing Sporting Goods/Sport Specialty Pacific
Nike - Lead, Integrated Media
Nike - Professional, Sportswear/Sport Retail Brand/Experience, Pacific
Nike - Senior Professional, Stores & Partner Marketing Pacific - Jordan APLA
NSW Office of Sport - Head of Media, Marketing and Strategic Engagement
Octagon - Senior Analyst
Paralympics Australia - Program Development Officer - Partnerships and Sustainability
Pixellot - Regional Commercial Partnerships Manager
PUMA - Area Manager - Multi State
PUMA - Key Account Manager - COBRA
PUMA - Senior Key Account Manager - Strategic Accounts Style
Sportsbet - Customer Marketing Specialist (CRM)
Sportsbet - Insights Analyst
Sportsbet - SEM Specialist - 12 month FTC
Sportsbet - Senior Strategy Manager
Sportsbet - Social Content Creative Director
Sports Direct - eCommerce Specialist
Sports Entertainment Network - AFL Record Supervisor
Sports Entertainment Network - Commercial Manager
Sports Entertainment Network - Head of Commercial
Sports Entertainment Network - Incentive Travel & Events Director - Ballpark
Sports Entertainment Network - Partnerships Coordinator
Sports Entertainment Network - Senior Partnership Manager
Sports Entertainment Network - Strategy & Solutions Manager
St Kilda FC - Commercial Partnerships Manager (10 Month Contract)
Swimming NSW - Chief Executive Officer
Tabcorp - Product Manager
Tabcorp - Video Content Producer
Tasmania FC - Marketing Operations Manager
Tennis Australia - AO Publicity Manager
Tennis Australia - Broadcast & Media Technical Lead
TGI Sport - PR & Communications Manager
Total Sport + Entertainment - Videographer (Mid-Senior)
Toyota Material Handling Australia - Sponsorship and Events Manager
Victoria Racing Club - Corporate Sales Coordinator
Vitaco Group - Communications and Partnerships Manager - Musashi
West Coast Eagles - Head of Content
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