As F1 returns after the Summer break, the LEGO Group will be taking their partnership with the F1 ACADEMY to the next level at the Dutch Grand Prix. F1 ACADEMY LEGO® Racing driver, Esmee Kosterman, will be sporting a new Dutch LEGO Racing livery, helmet and race suit inspired by the LEGO Botanicals Tulip Bouquet set this weekend. Learn more below.
The LEGO Group and F1 ACADEMY™ take their partnership into high gear at the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix
LEGO® Racing F1 ACADEMY Driver Esmee Kosterman takes to her home race in bold Dutch style, debuting a distinctive livery, helmet and race suit inspired by LEGO Botanicals Tulips
ZANDVOORT, 20 AUGUST 2026: The LEGO Group and F1 ACADEMY™ are taking their partnership to the next level at round 4 of the F1 ACADEMY season at Circuit Zandvoort. Dutch driver Esmee Kosterman, the first-ever driver to represent LEGO® Racing, will line up on the grid at the Dutch Grand Prix with a new Dutch LEGO Racing livery, helmet and race suit inspired by the LEGO Botanicals Tulip Bouquet set. Competing in front of her home crowd, Esmee will help bring the partnership to life on and off the track.
Proud of her home country
For Esmee’s new livery, helmet and race suit, the LEGO design team, led by Dutch designer Ashwin Visser, drew inspiration from the recently launched LEGO Botanicals Tulip Bouquet set. After all, when you think of the Netherlands, tulips naturally come to mind. The result, a helmet and race suit decorated with dozens of tulips, the Dutch flag and a lion in tribute to her home country.
The livery has also received a distinctly Dutch makeover: a tulip made from LEGO bricks blooms on the nose of the car beneath her race number, while the rest of the graphics remain LEGO yellow. In addition, Esmee’s name is spelled out on her race suit using LEGO bricks in the unique tulip theme.
‘My biggest LEGO project to date’
Ashwin Visser, LEGO Designer: “When you think of the Netherlands, tulips are a natural fit. That made it easy for us to decide on the theme for Esmee’s home-race design. At the same time, we didn’t want to move completely away from the yellow look of her standard livery because that colour stands out so well on track. That’s why the design focuses more on the rear of the car, with subtle colour changes throughout.”
Visser continued, “It was an honour to work with Esmee on her special Zandvoort livery, she loves to stretch her creativity and the collaboration was easy. Without a doubt, this is my biggest LEGO project so far and I can’t wait to see Esmee racing in the design.”
A lasting memento of Esmee’s home race
Alongside the excitement of the F1 ACADEMY races, there will also be plenty to see and do off the track. In the F1 ACADEMY paddock, fans will find an activation inspired by the LEGO Botanicals Tulip Bouquet, where they can build their own LEGO tulip from Friday through Sunday. Additionally, Esmee and LEGO Designer Ashwin will appear at selected times at the LEGO Tulips activation. There, they will hand out signed stickers and posters and take photos with fans.
As a bonus, fans can keep their creation as a lasting memento of Esmee’s home race. For those unable to attend the Dutch Grand Prix, there is good news too: on 19 and 20 August, fans can visit their nearest official LEGO Store to create and take home their own mini LEGO F1 Academy LEGO Race Car.
In the Fan Zone, visitors can immerse themselves in the thrill of racing with the Home of LEGO F1 Experience and the history of the LEGO Formula 1® partnership. Fans can also admire the LEGO Speed Champions F1 ACADEMY race car set, crafted by female designers to inspire young girls to engage in motorsport. This set will be available at the nearby LEGO Store during the race weekend.
Moreover, to celebrate the Zandvoort race, the LEGO Group has created a one-of-a-kind DJ booth made entirely from LEGO bricks, providing the soundtrack for the F1 ACADEMY grid walks. Finally, the drivers finishing on the F1 ACADEMY podium will each receive a beautiful custom-made bouquet of LEGO tulips.
LEGO Racing driver Esmee Kosterman: “I can hardly describe how excited I am to race at Zandvoort Circuit. Last season I made my F1 ACADEMY debut as the Wild Card driver and had the chance to compete in front of my fellow Dutch fans, which was an incredibly special experience. The fact that I now have a full-time seat on the grid supported by the LEGO Group, and am racing in a distinctly Dutch livery, helmet and race suit that I helped design makes this year even more special. I hope I can inspire young girls with big ambitions. No dream is too ambitious if you believe in yourself.”
F1 popular among a diverse audience
All of this comes at a time when Formula 1 is becoming increasingly popular with younger and more diverse audiences. A growing proportion of the fanbase is female, and 42% of F1 fans also follow F1 ACADEMY™. As a result, the series for emerging female racing talent has become Formula 1’s second most popular championship, behind F1 itself.
Esmee as an inspiring role model
Announced during the Las Vegas Grand Prix 2025 the LEGO Group and F1 ACADEMY joined forces for the 2026 season with a shared vision of helping reshape the racing landscape. With this partnership, aimed at increasing the visibility of female talent in motorsport, the LEGO Group hopes to show young fans, especially girls, that any ambition is achievable if they dare to pursue their dreams. Beyond representation, the LEGO Group believes that creative play at a young age helps build self-confidence in young people.
For more information about the broader collaboration between the LEGO Group and Formula 1, and the full product range, fans can visit LEGO.com/F1.
