Best F1 Polo Shirts 2026: Every Team Polo Compared by Maker & Price
The polo is the one piece of F1 merchandise you can wear to work without explaining yourself. That makes it the most-worn item in most fans' collections — and the one where paying attention to the maker, not just the badge, actually matters.
Search for an F1 polo shirt and you will get three completely different products on the same results page at three completely different prices, all of them describing themselves as official. One is genuine team kit — the garment the mechanics and engineers actually wear in the paddock, made by the team's contracted apparel partner. One is a licensed lifestyle polo with an F1 or team logo, made for the general market. One is a graphic novelty polo that has a checkered flag on it.
All three can be legitimately licensed. Only the first one is what most people picture when they search. This guide is mostly about that first category, because it is the one where the money goes and the one where the buying traps live.
F1 Polo Shirts by the Numbers
- Eleven teams, six different apparel makers. Per PlanetF1's 2026 teamwear round-up, the grid's kit is split between Puma (Ferrari, McLaren, Aston Martin), Castore (Red Bull, Alpine, Haas), adidas (Mercedes, Audi), New Era (Williams) and Tommy Hilfiger (Cadillac). There is no single F1 apparel supplier, which is why quality, cut and price vary team by team.
- Official team polos run £78–£108 / $99–$116. PlanetF1 lists Ferrari's Puma polo at £108, Red Bull's and Haas's Castore polos at £95, and the McLaren, Aston Martin and Alpine polos at £81. In dollars, the official F1 Store lists the adidas Mercedes 2026 Team Polo at $116 in black and $114 in white, and Cadillac's Tommy Hilfiger polo at $99.
- McLaren changed maker for 2026. Per BlackBook Motorsport, McLaren Racing replaced Castore with Puma as its team kit and apparel partner from the 2026 season. Any Castore-branded McLaren polo now on discount is 2025 stock being cleared — the single most common way people buy last year's kit by accident.
- The adidas Mercedes 2026 collection went on sale 15 January 2026, per adidas' own launch announcement, ahead of the season — teamwear typically drops in January and is at full price through the European rounds, with the first meaningful discounts arriving late in the season.
Quick Picks: Best F1 Polo Shirts
- Best Overall: adidas Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS 2026 Team Polo — $116, black, the most wearable teamwear on the grid
- Best Value: Williams Racing New Era Replica Team Polo — $112 list, regularly ~$78
- Best for Ferrari Fans: Puma Scuderia Ferrari 2026 Team Polo — £108, the priciest and the most recognisable
- Best for Red Bull Fans: Castore Oracle Red Bull Racing 2026 Team Polo — £95, two-tone blue for 2026
- Best New-Team Pick: Cadillac F1 x Tommy Hilfiger Team Polo — $99, the grid's first new kit in years
- Best Budget Option: licensed F1 lifestyle and graphic polos — roughly $30–$60, no current-season sponsor set
Every 2026 F1 Team Polo Compared
| Team | Maker (2026) | Polo Price | Colourway | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes | adidas | $116 black / $114 white | Black or white | Best overall — office-safe |
| Williams | New Era | $112 list (~$78 promo) | Blue | Best value |
| Ferrari | Puma | £108 | Puma red | Maximum recognition |
| Red Bull | Castore | £95 | Two-tone blue | Verstappen fans |
| Haas | Castore | £95 | White / red | US fans |
| McLaren | Puma (new for 2026) | £81 | Papaya | First Puma-era kit |
| Aston Martin | Puma | £81 | British racing green | Understated pick |
| Alpine | Castore | £81 | Blue / pink | Boldest colourway |
| Cadillac | Tommy Hilfiger | $99 | Navy / white | New-team collector |
| Audi | adidas | Not published at time of writing | Red / silver | New-team collector |
Sterling prices per PlanetF1's 2026 teamwear round-up; dollar prices per the official F1 Store and team stores. Teamwear pricing moves with promotions — treat these as list-price anchors, not live quotes.
The Three Tiers, and Which One You Are Actually Buying
Before comparing teams, work out which product you want. The tiers are easy to tell apart once you know the tells.
Tier 1: Team polo (authentic teamwear)
This is the garment worn in the paddock. It carries the current season's full sponsor set, is made from technical polyester pique rather than cotton, and is cut on an athletic block to European teamwear sizing. It costs $95–$145. The giveaway in a listing is the year and the words "Team Polo" or "Teamwear" — and the maker's name sitting alongside the team's. If you want the thing the crew wears, this is the only tier that qualifies. Browse the current 2026 F1 team polos to see the full spread.
Tier 2: Licensed fan and lifestyle polo
Officially licensed, but a general-market product rather than team kit — usually cotton or a cotton blend, a relaxed cut, a team crest or an F1 wordmark instead of a live sponsor board, and no season year attached. These run roughly $30–$60 and are the sensible buy if you want the association without the sponsor logos. This is also the tier where Formula 1 polo shirts on Amazon mostly sit.
Tier 3: Graphic and novelty polos
Checkered flags, generic "racing" typography, no licence at all in many cases. Cheap, and fine if that is what you want, but they will not read as F1 to anyone who follows the sport. Worth knowing the tier exists so you do not pay Tier 2 money for it.
The 2026 Buying Trap: Check the Maker, Not the Badge
A discounted team polo is often a discontinued kit rather than a deal. McLaren moved from Castore to Puma for 2026, per BlackBook Motorsport's January 2026 report on the deal. That means the shelves still hold Castore-made McLaren polos, they are heavily discounted, and they are the 2025 kit — different sponsor layout, different maker's logo on the chest.
The check takes five seconds: find the apparel maker's name in the listing and match it against the 2026 column in the table above. If a McLaren polo says Castore, or a Mercedes polo says anything other than adidas, you are looking at old stock. That is not automatically a bad purchase — last season's kit at half price is a perfectly reasonable buy — but you should know that is what you are getting before you pay.
The second check is the season year. Team polos are dated, and a listing that avoids naming a year is usually avoiding it for a reason.
Fit and Sizing: Size Up
Team polos are built for people working in them, not for casual wear, and they are cut accordingly. Castore and Puma team lines in particular run slim through the chest and short in the body relative to a standard American polo. If you are between sizes, or you want the shirt to drape rather than cling, take the larger one.
There is a second wrinkle on some teams: a replica version and an authentic version of the same garment, where the authentic is the tighter, more technical race-spec cut and costs more. Mercedes runs this split across parts of its adidas line. Unless you specifically want the fitted version, the replica is the better everyday buy.
Polo vs T-Shirt vs Jersey: Which to Buy
The polo wins on cost per wear, and it is not close. A team polo costs roughly 30 to 60 percent more than the equivalent replica tee, but it is a collared garment that works in offices, restaurants and at the circuit, and teamwear-grade polyester pique keeps its shape and colour through far more washes than a printed cotton tee. If you own one piece of team kit, the polo is the one that earns its price.
Buy the tee instead if you want a driver number, a race-day look, or a lower entry price — our best F1 t-shirts guide covers that tier. Buy the jersey if you want the full replica-kit statement, which is a different garment class again; see best F1 jerseys for the team-by-team breakdown. For layering over the polo when the weather turns at a European round, the F1 jackets guide covers team outerwear.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between an F1 team polo and an F1 fan polo?
A team polo is the garment the team's own staff wear in the paddock, made by that team's contracted apparel partner, carrying the current season's sponsor set and sold at teamwear prices — roughly $95 to $145. A fan or lifestyle polo carries a team or F1 logo but is a general-market product, usually cotton pique rather than technical fabric, with a relaxed cut and a price nearer $30 to $60. Both are officially licensed; only the team polo matches what you see on the pit wall.
Which brand makes each F1 team's polo in 2026?
There is no single F1 apparel maker — each team signs its own kit partner. For the 2026 season, Puma supplies Ferrari, McLaren and Aston Martin; Castore supplies Red Bull, Alpine and Haas; adidas supplies Mercedes and Audi; Williams is with New Era; and the new Cadillac team launched with Tommy Hilfiger. McLaren is the notable change, having moved from Castore to Puma for 2026.
How much does an official F1 team polo cost?
Official 2026 team polos cluster between about $78 and $145. Per PlanetF1's 2026 teamwear round-up, Ferrari's Puma polo is the most expensive at £108, Red Bull's and Haas's Castore polos sit at £95, and the McLaren, Aston Martin and Alpine polos land at £81. In US pricing, the official F1 Store lists the adidas Mercedes 2026 team polo at $116 in black and $114 in white, Williams' New Era replica team polo at $112, and Cadillac's Tommy Hilfiger polo at $99.
Why is a discounted McLaren polo cheaper than the rest?
Usually because it is not the current kit. McLaren switched apparel partners from Castore to Puma for the 2026 season, so any Castore-branded McLaren polo on sale is 2025 stock being cleared, not a bargain on this year's teamwear. The same trap appears any year a team changes supplier. Check the maker's name on the listing, not just the team name and the word "official".
Do F1 team polos run small?
Generally yes. Team polos are cut to European teamwear sizing on an athletic block, because they are designed for staff working in them rather than for casual fit. Castore and Puma team lines in particular run slim through the chest and short in the body compared with a standard American polo. Sizing up one step is the safe default if you are between sizes or want a relaxed drape, and it is worth checking whether the listing is the replica or the fitted authentic version.
Can you wear an F1 polo to the office?
That is precisely the point of the polo over the tee. Modern team polos use plain-body designs with sponsor logos confined to the chest, sleeve and collar, so they read as a technical sports polo rather than as merchandise. The quieter options are the darker colourways — Mercedes in black, Red Bull in navy, Williams in blue — while Ferrari red and McLaren papaya are unmistakable at any distance.
Are F1 polos worth it compared with an F1 t-shirt?
On a cost-per-wear basis, often yes. A team polo costs roughly 30 to 60 percent more than the equivalent replica tee, but it is a collared garment with a wider range of occasions, and teamwear-grade polyester pique holds its shape and colour through far more wash cycles than a printed cotton tee. Buy the tee if you want the driver number and the race-day look; buy the polo if you want a piece of team kit you will still wear in three seasons.
The Bottom Line
Pick the team first, then check the maker against 2026, then size up. For most people the adidas Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS 2026 Team Polo in black is the right answer at $116 — it is the most wearable teamwear on the grid and the one that will not announce itself in a meeting. If you want the same garment class for less, the Williams New Era replica polo lists at $112 and is discounted often enough that patience pays. And if the badge matters more than the budget, the Puma Scuderia Ferrari 2026 Team Polo at £108 is the most recognisable shirt in motorsport.
Whatever you choose, the rule that saves the most money is the boring one: match the maker's name to the current season before you buy. A team polo is a five-year garment if you buy the right one, and last year's kit at full price is the only genuinely bad outcome here.
Building a full collection? Our best F1 merchandise guide covers every category, and best F1 gifts sorts them by budget.