Years of Culture
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2026/05/24
Formula 1 is a world dictated by fractions of a second. Every aerodynamic curve and carbon fiber weave is engineered for pure performance. But for BWT Alpine F1 Team driver Pierre Gasly, the 2026 season is making room for a different kind of impact.
Partnering with Qatar’s Years of Culture initiative for the second consecutive year, Gasly is turning one of motorsport’s most iconic pieces of gear into a moving masterpiece. When the grid lines up for the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal from May 22 to 24, 2026, he will debut a striking new helmet designed by Qatari artist Ghada Al Suwaidi.
This is not your standard racing livery. It is the launch of a global creative series that fuses high speed racing with rich cultural storytelling.
A graduate of VCUarts Qatar, Al Suwaidi has built a reputation for effortlessly bridging the gap between large scale public murals and intricate digital artwork. Her aesthetic is playful, bold, and heavily rooted in the visual memory of Qatari neighbourhoods.
Taking that expansive style and wrapping it around the highly technical, curved shell of an F1 helmet presents a unique creative challenge. Yet, the final design translates local nostalgia into a contemporary statement. It takes the everyday life of Qatar and puts it in front of millions of racing fans worldwide.
Al Suwaidi is already a prominent voice in the public art space, having left her mark on the World Wide Walls street art festival and the national Posts of Qatar project. But creating a piece that travels at blistering speeds on an international circuit hits a different gear entirely.
“I have followed this collaboration since the beginning, so being part of it feels a bit surreal,” Al Suwaidi noted. “What excites me most is the scale. Knowing something so personal will be seen by millions in a completely unexpected setting is incredible.”
In a sport where blink and you miss it is the literal truth, Al Suwaidi wants her design to disrupt the blur of the race. “A helmet moves so fast, but I hope it still makes people pause, even for a second, and wonder about the story behind it. That moment of curiosity is where connection starts.”
That idea of sparking curiosity across borders sits at the very heart of the Years of Culture mission. By placing artistic expression right in the middle of a global sporting spectacle, the initiative proves that cultural diplomacy does not just belong in galleries or museums. It belongs wherever people gather.
The Canadian Grand Prix is only the opening act. As part of the wider Qatar Canada and Mexico 2026 Year of Culture, the storytelling will continue to cross international lines. Later this season at the Qatar Grand Prix, Gasly will sport two additional custom helmets designed by artists from Canada and Mexico.
It is a three country partnership that reinforces a simple but powerful message. Whether through the universal thrill of motorsport or the shared language of art, culture is what connects us all.
