Ford Ties Its F1 Comeback to Extreme Testing in New Campaign From W+K

Ford is turning its return to Formula 1 into a cinematic argument for why racing still matters to drivers.

Created by Wieden+Kennedy New York, "Every Ground Is Our Proving Ground" connects the precision of Formula 1 engineering with the brutal terrain of off-road racing.

It highlights the engineers behind Ford Racing and the extreme environments where the brand tests its vehicles before they reach consumers.

The work unfolds across two creative executions and continues Ford’s global brand platform "Ready Set Ford," which debuted last year with the same agency.

“The F1 fan today is more online — watching content beyond the race to everything that happens in between,” Eyob Yirgou and Simon Allen, senior copywriter and senior art director at W+K NY, said in a statement.

“F1 is a massive cultural moment, and Ford is a sponsor of the broadcast.

"We knew we wanted to show up in a way that feels like a behind-the-scenes extension of race weekend rather than an interruption with unrelated content.”

The team also acknowledged that fans have already seen the sport from every angle, inspiring them to "show it differently." 

"It couldn’t just feel like another version of Drive to Survive or the F1 movie," they added. 

The campaign ultimately strengthens Ford’s brand identity around durability, racing heritage, and engineering discipline.

Shot Across Harsh Terrain

The first execution, "Proving Ground," launched alongside Formula 1 practice and qualifying broadcasts on Apple TV, where Ford is an official sponsor.

Directed by Rupert Sanders through MJZ, the spot uses slow, carefully composed shots inspired by the dramatic lighting of Caravaggio paintings.

The effect is more like a moving portrait than a traditional automotive commercial.

Engineers, drivers, and pit crews appear in stark lighting that highlights the intense focus required in both racing and vehicle development.

Notably, the campaign also features F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo in supporting content, demonstrating the race-proven capabilities of Ford’s Raptor vehicles.

A second execution, "The Off Road to Greatness," will launch during the opening round of the NCAA March Madness tournament.

Directed by Sam Pilling of Magna Studios, the film shifts tone and shows the punishing conditions of off-road racing environments.

Alongside the hero films, a series of short engineer-focused spots make up the docuseries portion of the campaign.

Overall, the brand is using Apple TV’s sequential storytelling features to present a micro-docuseries that follows Ford Racing engineers and their work behind the scenes.

“That authenticity guided everything,” said Yirgou and Allen, referring to the real racing teams and environments used in the shoot.

It's an initiative that pushes Ford’s wider performance brand positioning by linking its global motorsport presence with the engineering behind its consumer vehicles.

Ford’s Racing-Led Campaign

This latest campaign offers a clear example of turning motorsport investment into a platform for long-term storytelling.

• Racing sponsorships work best when they highlight the people and engineering behind the machines, not just the spectacle.
• Sequential storytelling formats can transform broadcast advertising into serialized content that keeps fans engaged across multiple viewing moments.
• Showing real testing environments builds credibility, especially when brands claim that performance technology transfers from track to road.

The real test will come as Ford’s Formula 1 return moves closer to the grid. Can this storytelling keep fans invested long after the campaign ends?

Our Take: Can Slowing Down Make Racing More Interesting?

Most racing ads follow the same script with roaring engines, quick cuts, and drivers looking intense for three seconds before the logo appears.

And after a while, it all tends to look the same. 

But Ford took a different road here.

You see engineers thinking, drivers waiting, teams working through the small details that decide whether a car wins or breaks.

It makes the whole thing feel more like a look inside the workshop where these machines are actually built.

When you watch someone obsess over the smallest fraction of performance, it becomes easier to believe that the same mindset goes into the cars people drive every day.

Meanwhile, F1 recently kick-started its 2026 season with a campaign fronted by Damson Idris. 

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