‘Never seen before’ – Max Verstappen earns unique new deal ahead of 2026 F1 season

Max Verstappen is now the first active athlete to partner with e-commerce giants Fanatics in an innovative new deal.

He might have relinquished his hold of the World Drivers’ Championship to Lando Norris – but he’s still making ground-breaking moves off the track.

AFP

The four-time champion has been at the forefront of Formula 1 since his arrival on the scene as a 17-year-old in 2014.

Now, as one of the greatest drivers ever in the sport and one of the most famous athletes in the world right now, he’s achieving yet more history.

The multi-year deal with Michael Rubin’s brand will focus on ecommerce, licensed sports merchandise, and trading cards.

The latter will include autographs, inscriptions and highly sought-after race-worn relics.

The first of these comes in the form of a stunning one-of-one ‘Only 1’ card to be released in the F1 Eccellenza 2025 collection.

It celebrates the moment he smashed the record of Formula 1’s fastest ever lap.

The fearless Red Bull pilot sped around the iconic Monza circuit in 1 minute and 18.792 seconds,

That saw him narrowly pip 2025 title winner Norris (1 minute 18.869 seconds) to the record – and pole for the Italian Grand Prix.

The Brit sensation had only just beaten Lewis Hamilton‘s 2020 record of 1 minute 18.887 seconds at the same track.

Verstappen’s stunning new card from the Eccellenza collection also contains some of the race suit he wore for that incredible lap.

Fanatics

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Fanatics will also be launching a new e-commerce destination at Verstappen.com, while they also have the rights to design, manufacture, and distribute official merchandise.

That will include apparel, headwear, accessories, and special products.

It will see them hand fans fast access to on-demand items, which will be linked to milestones and race moments.

“It is great to partner with Fanatics and provide exclusive products and experience to all of my fans, no matter where they are in the world”, said Verstappen.

“I look forward to working with the Fanatics teams across merchandise and collectibles to create products and experiences that feel authentic to my journey and give fans something special to collect and enjoy globally.”

“Max’s global fan base continues to grow at remarkable speed, and we are proud to help elevate how his fans engage with him”, said Andrew Low Ah Kee, CEO of Fanatics Commerce.

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“His success on track and international popularity have made him one of the world’s most influential athletes.

“Our team is excited to have him as a part of our Fanatics global network, creating merchandise that carries real meaning for Max and his fans across the world.”

“We’re incredibly excited to welcome Max to the Fanatics family”, said Mike Mahan, Fanatics Collectibles CEO.

“All of us at Fanatics are huge fans – and his cards are extremely popular and valued in the hobby.

“With Max, we look forward to developing never-before-seen innovative product that will continue to grow our global F1 success with both fans and collectors.”