Formula 1 Racing Joins Forces with Hot Wheels

The toy car giant has developed a track-worthy F1 car, complete with swappable Pirelli racing slicks.

Dan Carney, Senior Editor

October 30, 2024

2 Min Read
The Hot Wheels F1 racer comes with a supply of Pirelli tires in the white-lettered hard compound, yellow medium, and red soft Pirelli tires.
The Hot Wheels F1 racer comes with a supply of Pirelli tires in the white-lettered hard compound, yellow medium, and red soft Pirelli tires.Mattel

At a Glance

  • The first Formula 1 race was held in 1950.
  • The first Hot Wheels car was released in 1968.
  • Pirelli has been the official tire supplier to Formula 1 since 2011 and will continue through at least 2027.

Everyone loves the tiny 1/64th-scale Hot Wheels cars and now we can enjoy the world’s fastest race cars in Hot Wheels form.

Hot Wheels is releasing a Mattel Creations collector die-cast limited-edition Formula 1 car with Hot Wheels racing livery. The car includes Real Rider wheels with interchangeable tires and a new F1 body casting to represent the latest style.

The racer wears number 68 in tribute to the year when Hot Wheels debuted. The F1 car comes in a collector’s ‘Kar Keepers’ clamshell case for storage.

“Hot Wheels has always been about nurturing the challenger spirit, so the partnership with Formula 1 is a natural and exciting fit,” said Roberto Stanichi, executive vice president, Hot Wheels & Head of Vehicles and Building Sets at Mattel. “In collaboration with Formula 1, we have put together a program that allows kids to replicate the thrill of F1 racing where they can drive like the pros and engages with our loyal communities on a global scale.”

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The connection between Hot Wheels and F1 should be strong, considering the miles of orange race track strewn around children’s homes over the decades. “Like Hot Wheels, F1 is all about thrills and car performance, and the broad collection we've created will take F1 fandom to the next level along with additional consumer touchpoints like digital and retail activations,” pledged Stanichi.

Related:2023 Hot Wheels Legends Tour Winner

From the F1 side, chief commercial officer Emily Prazer agrees, saying "The exciting collaboration will bring together the adrenaline of motor racing and the excitement of toy cars and provide opportunities to see the fine details that go into an F1 car, all in the palm of your hand. It’s more than just a partnership; it's a celebration of speed, creativity, and innovation that will bring fans a new way to engage with the sport.”

Of course, it isn’t really a new way. Formula 1 reaches the 75th anniversary of its first race next year, while Hot Wheels turns 60 in 2028 and kids have been pushing open-wheel toy racers while making “vroom-vroom” sounds for decades. But it is fun to see the two organizations join forces to encourage enthusiasm in new generations of gearheads.

And, thanks to the swappable Pirelli tires, maybe some future F1 crew members too!

About the Author

Dan Carney

Senior Editor, Design News

Dan’s coverage of the auto industry over three decades has taken him to the racetracks, automotive engineering centers, vehicle simulators, wind tunnels, and crash-test labs of the world.

A member of the North American Car, Truck, and Utility of the Year jury, Dan also contributes car reviews to Popular Science magazine, serves on the International Engine of the Year jury, and has judged the collegiate Formula SAE competition.

Dan is a winner of the International Motor Press Association's Ken Purdy Award for automotive writing, as well as the National Motorsports Press Association's award for magazine writing and the Washington Automotive Press Association's Golden Quill award.

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He has held a Sports Car Club of America racing license since 1991, is an SCCA National race winner, two-time SCCA Runoffs competitor in Formula F, and an Old Dominion Region Driver of the Year award winner. Co-drove a Ford Focus 1.0-liter EcoBoost to 16 Federation Internationale de l’Automobile-accredited world speed records over distances from just under 1km to over 4,104km at the CERAM test circuit in Mortefontaine, France.

He was also a longtime contributor to the Society of Automotive Engineers' Automotive Engineering International magazine.

He specializes in analyzing technical developments, particularly in the areas of motorsports, efficiency, and safety.

He has been published in The New York Times, NBC News, Motor Trend, Popular Mechanics, The Washington Post, Hagerty, AutoTrader.com, Maxim, RaceCar Engineering, AutoWeek, Virginia Living, and others.

Dan has authored books on the Honda S2000 and Dodge Viper sports cars and contributed automotive content to the consumer finance book, Fight For Your Money.

He is a member and past president of the Washington Automotive Press Association and is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers

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