F1 Academy brought Sanrio back to Las Vegas for the 2027 calendar, extending a character-licensing arrangement that began in the series' inaugural season. The partnership returns Hello Kitty and Friends to the paddock for a third consecutive year, making Sanrio one of the championship's longest-tenured commercial partners. Financial terms were not disclosed. The renewal comes as F1 Academy's ten-team grid finalizes sponsor inventories ahead of the March opener in Jeddah.
The deal covers branded hospitality, on-circuit activations, and merchandise rights at the Las Vegas round scheduled for November 2027. Sanrio's Las Vegas presence includes a dedicated fan zone and co-branded apparel sold through F1's e-commerce channel, which generated $38 million in merchandise revenue across all series in 2026 according to Liberty Media's Q4 filing. The character portfolio—Hello Kitty, My Melody, Cinnamoroll—skews younger and female, aligning with F1 Academy's stated demographic targets. Liberty has not broken out F1 Academy-specific merch sales.
The renewal signals sponsor confidence in a series facing questions about its exit ramp. AP reporting this week confirmed what paddock operators already knew: graduating F1 Academy drivers find limited seats in Formula 3 and Formula 2, the traditional feeders to F1. Six drivers from the 2025 F1 Academy season remain unsigned for 2027 F3 or F2 campaigns as of this writing. Ferrari-backed Alba Larsen secured a third F1 Academy season with Prema, a move that would have been unthinkable in the junior ladder's previous structure where drivers aged out after two years. The Larsen renewal suggests F1 Academy is becoming a destination series rather than a stepping stone, which changes the commercial proposition. Sanrio's multi-year commitment implies the partnership values the F1 Academy audience as-is, not as a funnel to higher categories.
For sponsors, that audience proposition is durable. F1 Academy drew 128,000 total spectators across seven 2026 rounds, per Liberty's year-end presentation. Las Vegas added 22,000 incremental attendees to the F1 race weekend, the second-highest F1 Academy-specific draw after Miami. Character licensing plays well in venue cities where family attendance skews higher than traditional F1 stops. Sanrio's U.S. licensing revenue grew 14% year-over-year to $220 million in fiscal 2026, driven by experiential partnerships. The F1 Academy renewal keeps Sanrio visible in a premium sports environment while F1 Academy secures a cash sponsor willing to activate at scale in a marquee U.S. market.
The timing matters for kit and calendar negotiations. F1 Academy's 2027 grid is nearly full, with only two seats remaining at teams yet to confirm driver lineups. Sponsors typically lock activation plans six months before race weekends; Sanrio's November event gives the company until May to finalize on-site programming. Meanwhile, Ferrari's Larsen deal and the lack of F3 openings suggest teams are shifting budget from driver development to commercial partnerships. If F1 Academy drivers aren't moving up, the economic model must extract value from the current grid, not future potential. Sanrio's renewal is a bet on the former.
Watch for other character and lifestyle brands to test the F1 Academy paddock before the Jeddah opener in March. Liberty has pitched F1 Academy as a platform for brands uncomfortable with traditional motorsport demographics, and a third Sanrio season provides proof of concept. The next signal: whether Sanrio expands beyond Las Vegas to additional 2027 rounds, which would confirm the partnership as a global play rather than a one-city activation.
The takeaway
Sanrio's third F1 Academy season proves character licensing works in motorsport when the audience is durable, not transient.
Editorial & Disclosure Notice: This article was written with artificial intelligence from public sources and is published without individual human review. Artificial intelligence and other digital tools are also used for research, analysis, editing, formatting, and production. Errors, omissions, outdated information, or inaccuracies may occur. References to companies, brands, products, services, organizations, or individuals are for informational and editorial purposes and do not imply endorsement, sponsorship, affiliation, partnership, or approval unless expressly stated. All trademarks and other intellectual property remain the property of their respective owners. Opinions, analysis, estimates, and commentary are informational only and should not be construed as financial, investment, legal, tax, medical, procurement, or other professional advice. Information may be corrected, clarified, or updated after publication. Corrections or removal requests: jenny@pops4.com.
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