Disney has described Lightning McQueen’s inclusion in Formula 1 as an opportunity to bring together fans with “the same love of speed, spectacle, and heart”, after the sport and the entertainment company confirmed their Fuel the Magic collaboration will continue through 2028.
The reaction accompanied the announcement at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, where Formula 1 and Disney revealed that Pixar’s Cars franchise will join the programme for the first time. The partnership had previously focused on Mickey Mouse and other Mickey & Friends characters.
Lightning McQueen is scheduled to appear during the Formula 1 Pirelli Gran Premio d’Italia at Monza in September. The character will debut a special new design to mark the upcoming 20th anniversary of the Cars franchise.
Joss Hastings, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Disney Consumer Products, said the Monza activation would extend the purpose of the partnership. “The inclusion of Pixar’s Cars at the Monza Grand Prix presents an exciting opportunity to Fuel the Magic and bring together two fandom communities that share the same love of speed, spectacle, and heart,” Hastings said.
Formula 1’s Emily Prazer, its Chief Commercial Officer, pointed to the existing collaboration’s success in explaining the decision to renew it. The partnership combines two globally recognised brands through creativity, storytelling and fan engagement, according to Prazer.
Fuel the Magic was launched in 2025 and was designed to connect Disney storytelling with Formula 1 fandom through experiences, content and merchandise. The extension adds a full season to the original agreement, running the collaboration through the end of the 2028 season.
The partnership has already appeared at several Formula 1 events and related initiatives. Its first activation came at the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix, featuring a Disney Live Entertainment performance at the Fountains of Bellagio, an appearance from the Disneyland Band and a merchandise collection designed by Bobby Kim.
In 2026, the collaboration introduced original WEBTOON content and a Formula 1 show car at Shanghai Disneyland Resort during the Chinese Grand Prix. It later expanded to F1 Academy at the Canadian Grand Prix, where Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck featured in merchandise and race-weekend experiences intended to inspire the next generation of women in motorsport.
At the British Grand Prix, Disney and Formula 1 unveiled a custom Mickey Mouse-inspired racing helmet for a Make-A-Wish initiative. Signed by 20 current Formula 1 drivers, it attracted 199 bids from 28 bidders across 12 countries and sold for £151,000, or $201,000, to benefit Make-A-Wish International. Formula 1 said it became the highest-value charitable item sold on F1 Authentics.
The Monza announcement also comes with a new Disney and Pixar Cars collection with Formula 1. The first six products, including an exclusive hat, fleece and Mattel die-cast models, were due to be unveiled at D23 on August 14.
The range will be available online via the official Formula 1 and Disney stores on the same day, before a wider global release on August 27. Fans attending the Italian Grand Prix will also be able to buy items from the collection at the F1 Flagship Store during the Monza weekend.
