F1 2026: Drivers Are Making Business Investments Off the Track

Unless your name is Fernando Alonso or Lewis Hamilton, not all F1 drivers will race until their 40s. Young, talented drivers are itching to get on the main grid, and they are surely deserving of those seats. Just take a look at the 20-year-old Kimi Antonelli, who is leading the championship this year. 

So, it's important for current drivers to prepare for life after F1 and expand their business portfolio. Let's look at how Lando Norris and his fellow drivers are making moves off the track this year.

Norris recently acquired a stake in Seat Unique, a British platform that sells official premium tickets and VIP hospitality experiences for major sporting and entertainment events. The McLaren driver's personal investment amount in the company isn't disclosed, but he's part of the £20 million funding round.

Moreover, Norris also co-founded LN4 Fusion this year. It is a junior single-seater racing operation that aims to race in Italian F4, the Formula Regional European Championship, and later on, in Formula 3. 

Leclerc launched LEC, a low-calorie ice cream brand, in 2024. This year, they continued expanding its European distribution and product range. LEC has launched new products, while targeting 200,000 to 250,000 households, up from roughly 130,000 prior to 2026.

Previously, the Ferrari driver also invested in the luxury watch marketplace Chrono24. He made the investment alongside his brother, Lorenzo. 

The Red Bull driver launched Verstappen.com Racing in 2022, and he's been focused on strengthening his brand this year. In December 2025, he inked a multi-year deal with Fanatics for the launch of the online "Official Max Verstappen Store". 

Verstappen.com Racing also signed a multi-year partnership with Mercedes-AMG Motorsport cars, which they will use for the 2026 GT World Challenge and Endurance Cups. Previously, the team's main GT3 cars consisted of the Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 EVO and the Ferrari 296 GT3.

Hamilton, in a joint venture with trading-card retailer Dave & Adam's Card World, launched Card Culture in 2026. It opened its first flagship store in Germany. The business sells trading cards and collectibles spanning sports and entertainment.

Moreover, Hamilton's lifestyle brand, +44, launched a temporary pop-up store at Marina Bay Sands. It coincided with the F1 Singapore Grand Prix.

Also, Hamilton's production company, Dawn Apollo Studios, signed a multi-year agreement with Skydance Sports. The production deal allowed the company to "develop and produce new scripted, unscripted, and animated content."

This year, the Alpine driver acquired a stake in MotoGP's Red Bull KTM Tech 3. He joined an investor consortium led by former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner. 

Previously, Gasly also became a part owner of FC Versailles, a French football club playing in the third tier of French football.

In February 2026, Bearman became a shareholder and global ambassador of IM8 Health. IM8 is a supplements and nutrition brand that's co-founded by Prenetics and former football star David Beckham.

Along with his current day job as a Formula 1 driver, the 45-year-old Fernando Alonso also manages young drivers through his A14 Management company. In September 2026, it was confirmed that Chilean driver Nico Pino has joined A14. 

A14's current stable includes Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto, IndyCar's Will Power, Formula E's Pepe Marti, and Formula 2's Sebastian Montoya and Dino Beganovic.