Adidas turns Orchard Road into F1 street track

Adidas is bringing Formula 1, K-pop and street culture to the heart of Singapore, with Orchard Road set to become a temporary street track for the city’s first live race car demonstration in more than a decade.

The two-day adidas Orchard Ignition will take place on 29 and 30 August, bringing together the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula 1 Team and K-pop girl group BABYMONSTER as part of Grand Prix Season Singapore 2026. The activation, supported by the Singapore Tourism Board, is expected to draw more than 30,000 fans ahead of the FORMULA 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2026.

The centrepiece will take place on 30 August, when Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team reserve driver Fred Vesti will drive an F1 car along a roughly 600-metre stretch of Orchard Road, between Paragon and TANGS at Tang Plaza.

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The run will be launched by BABYMONSTER, who will take part in the official flag-off ceremony before getting behind the wheel for Hot Laps in a Mercedes-AMG car. The car will feature a Singapore-exclusive livery, with the experience captured through in-car cameras for livestream and social media audiences.

The Live Race Car Demo and Hot Laps will be free and open to the public, with selected fans given access to VIP viewing decks.

The activation will kick off on 29 August with a Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team guided garage tour outside the adidas Brand Centre Orchard. A limited number of fans will be able to meet team technicians and get a behind-the-scenes look at the engineering and preparation that goes into race weekends.

The following day will also see the activation extend into music and culture with a fan festival at Design Orchard. Singapore artistes Benjamin Kheng and Iman Fandi will perform, while DJ KIARA will close out the evening. Selected fans will also have access to a BABYMONSTER fan engagement experience.

Thibault Durand, senior vice president and general manager for adidas Southeast Asia, said the activation brings together motorsport, music and culture in a way that is particularly suited to Singapore.

“Singapore is one of the most iconic destinations on the Formula 1 calendar, and there is no better stage than Orchard Road for an experience of this scale,” said Durand. 

Meanwhile, Fred Vesti, reserve driver at Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, added that driving the team’s car through Orchard Road would be a special experience, particularly given the significance of the street demonstration.

“Demonstration runs are all about bringing fans closer to the sport and giving them a taste of the speed, sound and excitement that make F1 unique,” he said.

The activation will also be tied to adidas' retail ecosystem. From 14 to 25 August, shoppers at adidas stores, adidas.com.sg, the adidas app, retail partners and malls along Orchard Road can take part in promotions for the chance to access the Guided Garage Tour, VIP viewing decks and Fan Festival.

From 27 August to 17 September, shoppers will also be able to receive an exclusive BABYMONSTER gift with selected purchases.

The brand has also been building its F1 presence in Singapore beyond race weekend. Last year, adidas brought Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team driver Kimi Antonelli to its Brand Centre Orchard, giving fans the chance to meet the then-rising star while spotlighting its FW25 Motorsports key city tees, a collection designed to tap into Singapore’s race-day energy.

The collection featured three designs, including the “Maju-lah” tee, meaning “Onward” in Malay, and a Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team helmet tee styled after a blockbuster movie poster. Fans were also invited to show off their motorsport-inspired looks and take part in an adidas app giveaway for passes to Antonelli’s meet-and-greet, blending the F1 hype with the brand’s lifestyle and streetwear positioning.

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