Three young F1 fans get the chance to go behind the scenes at Hot Wheels and Formula 1.
Hot Wheels and Formula One are launching a global search for what they call the world’s first “Tiniest Team Principal.” The campaign targets children between five and ten years old who love race cars, build their own tracks, and dream of Formula 1.
Three winners will be selected – one from the USA, the UK, and Mexico – and will travel with their families to Hot Wheels headquarters in El Segundo, California. There, they will meet with the design team behind Hot Wheels and Formula 1, while also getting to help develop their own F1-inspired Hot Wheels car.
Additionally, VIP tickets to a Formula 1 race in their respective home countries during the 2026 season are included.
Among the jury members are Stefano Domenicali, world champion Jenson Button, and Mattel’s Head of Vehicles, Ted Wu.
– In Formula 1, the difference between winning and losing can be decided by a single decision. Children make such choices every time they play with Hot Wheels, says Jenson Button in a statement.
How to enter the competition
To participate, parents or guardians must submit a video via TikTok or Instagram between May 20 and June 16. Entries can include, among other things:
- Own Hot Wheels tracks
- Custom-designed cars
- Race analyses and predictions
- Explanations of how the child would run a Formula 1 team
Winners will be announced on June 23.
What the winners receive
In addition to the trip to Hot Wheels headquarters, the winners will receive, among other things:
- Travel to the British Grand Prix, United States Grand Prix, or Mexico City Grand Prix
- Behind-the-scenes access to Formula 1
- Custom-designed Hot Wheels apparel
- Opportunity to influence future Hot Wheels F1 designs
- The entire Hot Wheels F1 series of cars and tracks
According to Mattel, they are looking for children with “strong opinions on what makes a car faster, cooler, and more fun.”
The competition is open to children between five and ten years old in the eligible countries.
