In the world of sports marketing, Formula 1 has quickly emerged as one of the hottest places for brands to show up. As the sport’s fans has diversified to include a younger audience, drivers have now become influencers and tastemakers — opening up space for new players to emerge.
Early this year, in May, global pet lifestyle brand Vetreska unveiled its partnership for 2026 with Formula 1 driver Ollie Bearman — making a crossover between the worlds of Formula 1 and modern pet lifestyle. As part of the deal, the brand has also been named Bearman’s official luxury pet accessories partner.
Vetreska was launched in 2017 by Donald Kng, cofounder and chief executive officer, alongside Nico Li, cofounder and chief strategy officer. The brand was created with the mission of “Together Reimagined,” which drives its innovation of pet accessories by creating imaginative pet supplies, toys and accessories.
The brand has a global reach across more than 25 markets including North America, Asia, Europe, the Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East — and is stocked in major retailers including Le Bon Marché in Paris, Selfridges in London, Macy’s, Chewy, Amazon, Petco and more.
In an exclusive interview with Fairchild Studio, Bearman shared that the partnership with Vetreska felt “natural” given his love of dogs and other animals. His two dogs, an English bull terrier named Freddie and a Boston terrier named Ruby, are “a huge part of [his family’s] lives” off the track.
Given Formula 1’s massive amounts of sponsorship opportunities, it was important for Bearman to be selective with the brands he represents.
“I don’t remember seeing any other pet brands on the grid, so this one felt a bit special straight away,” Bearman said. “When I learned more about Vetreska, I liked how they see pets – not just as animals, but as family members. That’s how I see Freddie and Ruby. Also, I like their style – the bold, colorful designs. My dogs are with me a lot when I’m home. If I’m going to use pet products, they should look good and work well.”
Moreover, Formula 1 partnerships have evolved over the years — and drivers are taking notice as well. Even though it’s Bearman’s second full season, he’s seen how the audience and environment around the motorsport have changed.
“Social media has made things so much broader and more diverse,” explained Bearman. “Fans love the racing and the competition, but there’s also a huge interest in the lifestyle – and the lives of us drivers away from the track. That includes pets! Take Leo, Charles Leclerc’s dog — he’s become a star himself.”
Through this partnership with Vetreska, Bearman said he gets to share a side of himself and his day-to-day life that is not often visible when he’s on the track throughout race weekends.
“Freddie and Ruby are a big part of my life away from racing — and I think that resonates with people because it’s just real. It reflects how things are merging now – sport, fashion, design and pet culture. They’re not separate conversations anymore. And Vetreska is bringing something fresh into Formula 1, which is cool to be part of.”
Bearman also appears in the brand’s recently launched campaign alongside his two dogs, titled “Fast Life. Reimagined.” The brand did a video shoot with Bearman and his dogs in Monaco in May, where the dogs played with the products — “Freddie and Ruby were the perfect models.”
Donald Kng, cofounder and chief executive officer of Vestreska.
Vetreska’s campaign message resonated with Bearman — no matter how fast life is, there’s always room in life for pets. And in his case, when he’s going nearly 200 miles an hour, “it feels even more important to have that balance.”
“A lot of people with busy lives can relate to the idea, not just drivers,” explained Bearman. “My life on and off track is pretty intense. But having my family and Freddie and Ruby around keeps things from getting too single-focused.”
The brand will be launching a dedicated Formula 1-inspired collection of pet products this month, called the Circuit collection. The introduction of the collection brings together the visual identity of motorsport for its pet accessories with design-forward products.
Nico Li, cofounder and chief strategy officer of Vetreska.
Aerodynamic silhouettes, race stripe details and a paddock palette round out Vetreska’s accessories — which the brand said draws on the world of “precision, performance and glamour” for collection inspiration.
As part of this ongoing partnership, Bearman is slated to host a meet and greet with fans alongside the brand at the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix in October.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Ollie. Formula 1 and pet lifestyle are both capturing the imagination of a new generation, and Ollie lives right at that intersection. The way he moves through a fast-paced, high-pressure world while staying deeply connected to his dogs reflects exactly what Vetreska stands for — reimagining everyday moments with style, passion and companionship,” said Kng.
To learn more, visit vetreskanyc.com.
