Qatari artist Ghada Al Suwaidi has designed the race helmet that Pierre Gasly of the BWT Alpine F1 Team will wear at the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal. The collaboration is part of Qatar’s Years of Culture initiative, now in its second year of partnering with the French driver to bring contemporary art into one of motorsport’s most-watched events.
The helmet marks the opening of this year’s creative series under the Qatar, Canada and Mexico 2026 Year of Culture. Further artist collaborations are planned for races in Mexico City and Doha, extending the initiative’s reach across three countries.
A Visual Language at Speed
Al Suwaidi is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar. Her practice spans large-scale murals, illustration, and digital work, with projects that draw on everyday life in Qatar, from nostalgia and neighbourhoods to shared visual memories, rendered through bold colour and contemporary form.
She has previously contributed to international platforms including the World Wide Walls street art festival and national initiatives such as Posts of Qatar. Her design for Gasly’s Montreal helmet translates that visual language onto a compact, highly technical object seen by millions of fans worldwide.
“I’ve followed this collaboration since the beginning, so being part of it feels a bit surreal,” said Ghada Al Suwaidi, Artist. “What excites me most is the scale — knowing something so personal will be seen by millions, in a completely unexpected setting. 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.”
Three Countries, Three Helmets
The Years of Culture initiative centres on inviting artists from around the world to design helmets for select races, using Formula 1 as a platform for cultural storytelling and diplomacy. The concept positions one of sport’s most high-profile stages as a space for emerging creative voices.
For the Qatar Grand Prix later this year, Gasly will wear two additional helmets designed by artists from Canada and Mexico. The three-helmet series aligns with the three-country partnership at the heart of the 2026 Year of Culture programme.
The collaboration reinforces the initiative’s emphasis on shared storytelling across borders, connecting audiences beyond traditional cultural spaces through unexpected, high-profile moments in global sport.
