From the circuit to Comic Con: How Williams joined the Marvel Universe

Williams unveiled a special Doctor Doom-inspired livery earlier this month as part of their ongoing collaboration with Marvel, replacing their usual blue with the villain's trademark black and green colours.

The striking design made its debut at New York Comic Con, where the team showcased a specially-liveried FW48 show car alongside superhero-inspired race suits and exclusive merchandise.

Taking inspiration from one of Marvel's most recognisable villains, the car was displayed as part of an immersive experience celebrating the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday film, with the collaboration bringing together Formula 1 and one of the world's biggest entertainment franchises.

While neither Alex Albon nor Carlos Sainz will race with the design, fans attending this weekend's United States Grand Prix can get a closer look at the livery at the Williams Fan Zone in Austin.

Williams assemble!

The collaboration began back in April, when Williams announced that Albon, Sainz and Team Principal James Vowles would be making their Marvel Comics debut in a special one-shot comic book, Iron Man: Racing Towards Doom.

The story sees the Williams trio face an altogether different challenge to their usual F1 rivals, with Doctor Doom threatening to disrupt the racing season.

Fortunately, they have a little help from some familiar faces. Iron Man, Black Widow and Captain America join the team as they attempt to prevent the supervillain from carrying out his plans.

Written by Ethan Sacks, with artwork by Greg Land, the 32-page comic brings the drivers into the Marvel Universe, complete with superhero action, dramatic illustrations and plenty of F1 references.

Crossovers between sport and superhero comics may seem unusual, but according to Dr Miriam Kent, Lecturer in Film and Media at the University of Leeds and author of Women in Marvel Films, the relationship between superheroes and sport is nothing new.

"We can look back to the history of superhero publishers working with sports teams or featuring famous athletes – going back to the '50s, '60s and '70s, even,” she explains. “Superhero comics have always had an odd relationship to the 'real world', but it's not unusual to find references to public figures or sports teams. The Thing in Fantastic Four is a fan of the New York Jets, I believe."

Dr Kent also pointed to Sacks' experience writing comics for another major entertainment franchise.

"The writer [of the Williams comic] has a strong reputation for working on tie-in comics for Star Wars. He'll be an old hand at extending universes across media – even if those universes are part of our real world."

The comic is set for its wider US release on October 21, just before the Grand Prix in Austin.

Bringing Marvel to the paddock

Williams' partnership with Marvel has extended well beyond the pages of their comic book story, with special-edition covers released throughout the 2026 season.

Beginning with an activation at the Miami Grand Prix, which featured Marvel artwork and a giant comic book cover photo opportunity, the collaboration has travelled to several races on the calendar.

Limited-edition covers have celebrated Grands Prix including Monaco, Great Britain, Spain and Singapore, with further editions for the United States and Las Vegas giving fans the chance to build their own collection.

The team have even introduced a Marvel-themed digital badge for their Williams ID members, offering exclusive digital assets to mark the partnership.

For Dr Kent, there is also a natural connection between Formula 1's technological innovations and the superhero genre, which has long explored the possibilities of advanced machinery and engineering.

"I think there is something to be said about Marvel affiliating itself with the cutting-edge technology that's involved in F1. Again, there is a history of this – going back all the way to Iron Man, Marvel had a partnership with [car company] Audi. Tony Stark drove an R8 in the film, and Audi featured the character in its own marketing.

"The superhero genre has long been concerned with what it means to push the limits of technology, where the boundaries are between humans and technology. A lot of the appeal is the tech superheroes have access to. So in a way, cars and superheroes make sense."

A superhero takeover at Comic Con

The collaboration took centre stage at New York Comic Con, held from October 8-11, where Williams took their place among some of the biggest names in comics and entertainment.

Alongside the Doctor Doom-inspired show car, visitors could explore a dedicated Williams experience within Marvel's exhibition space, featuring comic book artwork, superhero-inspired race suits and interactive displays.

Visitors could pick up one of 2,000 comics printed with an exclusive New York Comic Con cover, while race-worn suits and boots belonging to Albon and Sainz were also offered for purchase.

Fans also had the opportunity to enter a competition to win one of the special Marvel-inspired race suits, bringing a little superhero style to their own wardrobes.

Next stop: Austin

For fans who missed the New York unveiling, the special livery is making another appearance in Texas this week.

The Williams Fan Zone, located in downtown Austin, will display the Marvel-inspired show car between October 19 and 24. There'll also be a special Austin edition of the comic book available to purchase.

The Fan Zone will also feature appearances from Albon, Vowles, reserve driver Luke Browning and 1996 World Champion Damon Hill, alongside interactive racing experiences.