Photo Credit: Damson Idris/Instagram
If you have been following Damson Idris‘s journey over the past year, this news will feel like the inevitable next chapter.
The British-Nigerian actor has officially been named Formula 1’s Global Brand Ambassador — and the role could not fit anyone better right now.
It all started with the film. Damson starred alongside Brad Pitt in “F1: The Movie,” playing rookie driver Joshua Pearce opposite Pitt’s Sonny Hayes. Shot during real Grand Prix weekends, with both actors actually behind the wheel of modified Formula 2 cars, the film became the most successful sports movie of all time, grossing over $630 million at the global box office and earning a Best Picture Oscar nomination.
Damson’s connection to Formula 1 did not stop at the film though. At the 2025 Met Gala, he arrived in a custom white Tommy Hilfiger race car, stepped out in a full F1 racing suit and a Swarovski crystal-encrusted helmet, then dramatically revealed a bold red tartan three-piece tuxedo underneath — complete with gold-beaded lapels, a brooch, and a chain-link necklace, all from his own jewellery line DIDRIS, in tribute to his Nigerian heritage and his late mother, Silifat Idris.
The ambassadorship is the natural next step. Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Damson Idris officially to the Formula 1 family. Following his starring role in ‘F1: The Movie,’ which made history at the box office and helped bring our sport to new audiences, he is joining us as an official Global Brand Ambassador. In Formula 1, we are all about authenticity and Damson is passionate about the sport and shares our vision to grow it, so it’s fantastic that we’ll continue to work with him. With his incredible platform and position in the entertainment and lifestyle space, together we will push the boundaries of how we reach fans.”
Damson added: “I’ve always been drawn to spaces where culture, performance, and precision meet, and Formula 1 sits right at the centre of that. I had an enormous amount of respect for it before making the film, but getting closer to it gave me a real understanding of the innovation, the heart, and the intensity behind everything, and the elite level the drivers operate at. I’m genuinely excited to step into this role as a Global Ambassador. Being part of this world now means a lot to me, and I’m proud to represent something that inspires and connects people all over the world.”
In the role, Damson will attend Grands Prix, support content and promotional activities, and help bring a new generation of fans to the sport. He also appeared in F1’s new All To Drive For campaign alongside all 22 drivers, which dropped just days before this announcement.
Off the track, Damson is set to appear in Tomi Adeyemi‘s “Children of Blood and Bone,” directed by Gina Prince–Bythewood, due in January 2027, and will play Miles Davis in Bill Pohlad‘s “Miles & Juliette” opposite Anamaria Vartolomei.
