The best F1 and motorsport face masks in 2021

Face mask rules have returned – and petrolheads keen to support their favourite motorsport team have no end of F1 face masks to choose from.

Face mask rules have returned and they are now mandatory again in shops and on public transport as the government responds to the new Omicron coronavirus variant.

Experts agree that face coverings can significantly help reduce the spread of coronavirus there are plenty around that feature links to motorsport and automotive culture.  

We have profiled the top motorsport-branded and inspired masks on offer in 2021, along with the teams still keeping us waiting.

McLaren Official Team U-Mask – £35

Best 2021 Motorsport Face Masks

By far one of the fanciest and most advanced offerings, McLaren pulled out all the stops for this face mask. 

It features a replaceable biotech filter element, said to deliver protection equivalent to an FFP3 mask. The filters last for up to 200 hours, with replacements available to order. 

This is the same mask worn by Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo during 2021. McLaren is now offering the U-Mask in both orange and dark grey.

McLaren Gulf Team U-Mask – £35

Best 2021 Motorsport Face Masks

For this year’s Monaco Grand Prix, McLaren used a one-off livery using classic Gulf Oil colours. It seemed to work, propelling Lando Norris to another podium finish. 

As part of the Monaco makeover, the team used special Gulf-branded face masks. These are also available to buy from the McLaren store. 

Using the same U-Mask design, it has all the benefits of the regular version.

Mercedes-AMG Team Face Mask – £35

Best 2021 Motorsport Face Masks

The Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team may have dominated on track in 2020, but it took them a long time to get up to speed with offering a face covering.

Thankfully, the Mercedes-AMG online shop now features a branded face mask.

It uses the familiar U-Mask design, meaning 200 hours of use with replacement filters available.

Aston Martin F1 Team Face Mask – £12

Best 2021 Motorsport Face Masks

The return of Aston Martin to the Formula 1 grid caused a frenzy for fans wanting to grab team merchandise. 

After a slight delay, the official Aston Martin F1 Store now lists a branded face mask.

Made from 100% polyester with a water-repellent finish, the mask can be washed up to 30 times.

Kimi by West Coast Choppers Face Mask – €9.99

Best 2021 Motorsport Face Masks

Somewhat predictably, Kimi Räikkönen prefers to do his own thing when it comes to wearing a face mask. Instead of the Alfa Romeo version, he wears this special covering from his collection made with West Coast Choppers. 

Kimi met Jesse James, the famous founder of the West Coast Chopper brand after winning the 2018 U.S. Grand Prix. This led to a collaboration to produce a wide range of custom motorbike-inspired merchandise, featuring the Finnish driver’s name. 

Made with a pocket to house a replaceable filter, this is the mask Kimi can be seen wearing on race weekends.

Alpine F1 Team – £n/a

Best 2021 Motorsport Face Masks

A change of name for 2021 saw Renault become the new Alpine F1 Team. Promoting the sporty sub-brand from the Renault family makes sense, with Alpine having enjoyed success in endurance racing. 

The return of Fernando Alonso is the other major news for 2021, partnering Esteban Ocon.

Alpine does not yet have a branded face mask available from its online store. However, you can order an Alpine bucket hat instead. 

Red Bull Racing – £n/a

Best 2021 Motorsport Face Masks

Red Bull Racing are renowned for producing high-quality team merchandise, but a branded face mask is still not one of the options on sale. 

There is plenty of replica teamwear, including a Red Bull Racing team mug, on offer though

AlphaTauri – £n/a

Best 2021 Motorsport Face Masks

Just like the senior Red Bull Racing team, AlphaTauri does not yet stock an official face mask offering. 

As a clothing brand, there are numerous neat merchandise options, should you want to support Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda during 2021

Scuderia Ferrari – £n/a

Best 2021 Motorsport Face Masks

The time Michael Schumacher spent at Ferrari saw the famed Italian brand launch a huge array of merchandise. Today, the range is still extensive, but Ferrari face masks have not made it into the online shop.

As an alternative, you can purchase the rear spoiler taken from Ruben Barrichello’s F2004 F1 car. Yours for just £15,000. No word on how well it prevents the spread of viruses though.

Williams Racing Face Covering – £n/a

Best 2021 Motorsport Face Masks

In the spirit of motorsport evolution, the mask previously offered by Williams Racing is now into a second generation. 

The ‘new and improved’ model is said to offer better quality construction, along with an enhanced fit. 

It was priced at just £3.00, representing a huge bargain compared to other offerings here… is this why it is currently no longer listed in the team’s online store?

U-Mask Model 2.2 – £36

Best 2021 Motorsport Face Masks

Although many teams might not be offering official face masks, at the track many of them are using versions of the U-Mask.

Now upgraded to 2.2 specification, it uses a removable and replaceable filter to offer protection.

Formula 1 Face Covering – £10.50

Best 2021 Motorsport Face Masks

If you cannot bring yourself to pick a team to support, why not opt for the official Formula 1 face covering instead. 

Branded with the F1 logo, it comes in a pack of three

Kwik Fit BTCC Face Mask – £6

Best 2021 Motorsport Face Masks

Formula 1 is not your style? Keep things closer to home with the official face mask of the British Touring Car Championship. 

With a two-ply construction, it is said to be both breathable and antibacterial.

Ford Performance Camo Mask – £9.11

Best 2021 Motorsport Face Masks

Ford has expanded its lifestyle collection to include a trio of face mask coverings. There is a classic blue one, and a neat Mustang-badged version. However, we really like this mask finished in the Ford Performance camouflage design. 

Should you really want to coordinate, Ford offers other accessories like a beanie hat, rucksack, and mug in the same design. 

This mask should be washable up to 50 times.

M-Sport Flex Face Mask – £18 for two

Best 2021 Motorsport Face Masks

Not only is this face mask usable for protecting against viruses, M-Sport also points out that it is great for spectating on dusty rally stages, too!

The Cumbria-based motorsport outfit has taken no shortcuts with this mask, which is supplied by Treehouse Health. It is made with HeiQ Viroblock technology, which is said to kill viruses within minutes. 

Should you really like the design, and the tech, discounts are available for bulk orders.

Blipshift Pink Pig Mask – $16

Best 2021 Motorsport Face Masks

Dive deeper into the internet and there are numerous face masks with unofficial brand logos and names on them. However, there are also plenty of impressive coverings that have been inspired by motorsport legends. 

This particular face mask, sold by American enthusiast site Blipshift, takes inspiration from the infamous Porsche 917/20 ‘Pink Pig’ racing car. 

It is a rather niche reference, so be prepared for questions should you wear it to the supermarket.

The Art of Car 1965 Shelby Daytona GT – $17.99

Best 2021 Motorsport Face Masks

Another American website, The Art of Car, has a host of face masks that pay homage to road and racing classics. 

Even offered in youth sizes, we are quite taken with the Shelby Daytona GT design. It comes with two-layer polyester construction, and can be washed and reused.

Mopar Hemi Face Mask – $15.95

Best 2021 Motorsport Face Masks

The 426-cubic inch Hemi V8 engine is an American icon, fitted to some of the most legendary muscle cars during the 1970s. 

Along with wearing the Hemi logo, this face mask features an activated carbon filter. These filters can be removed and replaced, with the mask supplied with two of them.

Martini Face Mask – $16

Best 2021 Motorsport Face Masks

California-based Striipe Design has taken on a number of classic motorsport liveries and designs to produce some impressive face masks. 

Inspired by, arguably, one of the best racing sponsorship efforts, this mask pays tribute to the Porsches, Lancias, and others that raced with Martini branding.

Volkswagen fans may also be interested in a version inspired by the Interlagos check seat trim found inside many GTI models.

Redbubble Monaco Mask – £13.79

Best 2021 Motorsport Face Masks

Redbubble offers an online marketplace for independent artists to sell custom-designed items. These range from clothing to mobile phone cases, and also now face masks. 

This includes a gigantic choice of two-layer and three-layer face coverings, inspired by motorsport teams and star drivers. However, it should be remembered that many of the products may not be officially endorsed or licensed.

How to choose an effective face mask

Best Motorsport Face Masks

The huge growth in the number of face masks available can mean a wide variety in their quality and effectiveness. Such choice makes it important to choose a face mask that suits your level of protection. 

Expert research has found that masks with a greater number of layers offer better filtration from particles. More layers have also been found to affect breathability though, which can lead to condensation inside the face mask. 

The majority of face masks are designed to prevent the spread of larger droplets, rather than delivering medical-grade protection.

Options like the U-Mask include a removable and replaceable filter element, offering FFP3-level protection for particles.

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John Redfern
John Redfern
U.S. Editor with a love of all things Americana. Woodgrain-clad station wagons and ridiculous muscle cars a speciality.

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