F1 Academy Partners with Dirt is Good in Stigma-Challenging Deal

F1 Academy has announced a multi-year partnership with Dirt is Good, the world's largest laundry brand, naming the Unilever platform as the official laundry detergent partner of the all-women's championship. The deal will see 17-year-old Wild Card entry Zoe Florescu race at the Dutch Grand Prix with a bespoke livery inspired by the brand's new Wonder Wash Max product, while the broader campaign challenges long-standing period stigma in sports.

Why it matters:

This partnership brings a major consumer brand into F1 Academy, signaling growing commercial momentum for the series. It also extends Dirt is Good's "Every Stain Should Be Part of the Game" initiative into motorsport, directly tackling a taboo topic that research shows affects the confidence and participation of young female athletes.

The Details:

• Dirt is Good (parent of Persil, OMO, and Skip) will make its F1 Academy debut at Round 2 of the 2026 season at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal later this month.
• At Round 4 in Zandvoort (August), Romanian-American driver Zoe Florescu will drive the #15 car — a number referencing Wonder Wash Max's standout feature: maximum cleaning performance in just 15 minutes.
• Florescu impressed at the 2025 F1 Academy rookie test and will run a bespoke car livery and race kit for the event.
• She will also appear in an international brand campaign alongside global Dirt is Good ambassador and eight-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt.
• F1 Academy managing director Susie Wolff said: "Bringing Dirt Is Good into that environment is an exciting step as we continue to create meaningful opportunities and visibility for the next generation of talent."

What's Next:

The partnership builds on Dirt is Good's award-winning 2025 campaign with Arsenal Women FC, which featured players like Beth Mead and Leah Williamson. Research from the Youth Sport Trust found that six out of 10 girls fear playing sport due to period leaks, with 79% saying their confidence is affected. Florescu's race at Zandvoort will give the initiative a high-profile motorsport platform, with the hope of normalizing conversations around the issue and inspiring more young women to participate in sport.