KitKat breaks into Formula 1, using Australia as a global launch pad

KitKat is taking its long-running brand platform trackside, rolling out a high-profile Formula 1 partnership in Australia complete with a world-first chocolate car, mass retail distribution and fan activations timed to the Australian Grand Prix.

Under a new multi-year global deal with Formula 1, Nestlé-owned KitKat will debut a limited-edition KitKat F1 Chocolate Car in Australia from January, ahead of the Formula 1 Qatar Airways Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne from 6–8 March.

Shaped like an F1 car and made from milk chocolate with crispy cereal and KitKat wafer pieces, the 29g product will land in major Australian retailers, marking the first time the brand has created a chocolate format specifically tied to F1.

The launch signals how seriously Nestlé is leaning into the partnership. Australia and New Zealand will act as an early proving ground for the global deal, with KitKat backing the product drop with in-store activations, exclusive merchandise, consumer promotions and trackside experiences.

From 10 January to 10 March, shoppers in Australia and New Zealand can enter to win a VIP Formula 1 experience at the 2026 Italian Grand Prix in Monza, alongside 1,000 exclusive KitKat F1 merchandise prizes, by purchasing qualifying KitKat products.

In a statement, Nestlé general manager confectionery and snacks Andrew Lawrey said the partnership reflects a broader push to invest behind the company’s biggest global brands.

“Our partnership with Formula 1 shows how we’re investing at scale behind KitKat and creating experiences that go beyond the shelf,” Lawrey said. “The KitKat Formula 1 chocolate car brings the ‘Have a Break, Have a KitKat’ message to fans in a completely new context.”

The deal formally makes KitKat the official chocolate bar of Formula 1, with the partnership launching during the 2025 season before scaling globally throughout 2026. The timing also aligns with milestone anniversaries for both brands, with KitKat turning 90 and Formula 1 marking its 75th year.

Formula 1 chief commercial officer Emily Prazer added that the collaboration was designed to blend entertainment with accessibility.

“KitKat is a universally loved brand, and we’re excited to see the experiences they’ll bring to fans at the track and beyond,” Prazer said.

Beyond Australia, the partnership will extend across selected Grands Prix worldwide, supported by fan zones, trackside branding, digital content and placements across Netflix’s Formula 1: Drive to Survive.