Formula 1 launches 'Five Lights' campaign narrated by Colin Farrell ahead of Dutch GP return

Formula 1 has launched a global marketing campaign titled Five Lights, narrated by Academy Award-nominated actor Colin Farrell, to mark the sport’s return from the summer break ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix. The 90-second film debuted on 16 August and features all 22 current drivers.

Set to the track Reign by UNKLE featuring Ian Brown, the film centres on the pre-race countdown sequence as each of the five starting lights illuminates — the ritual that signals the beginning of every grand prix.

The campaign will run across digital and social media platforms until 13 September and is backed by out-of-home advertising at six high-profile locations across the United Kingdom and the United States. In London, displays at Piccadilly Circus and The Outernet will carry the campaign. In the US, it will appear in Times Square, at Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip, on Sunset Boulevard, and at The Moxy in Los Angeles.

“Five Lights captures one of the most powerful moments in Formula 1, when anticipation, excitement and pressure all come together just before the race begins,” said F1 chief commercial officer Emily Prazer. “As we return for the second half of what has already been an incredible season, we wanted to create something that reflects the emotion of our sport and the connection our fans feel with the teams and drivers every race weekend.”

At the time of publication, the film had accumulated more than 141,000 views on YouTube and 11,000 likes.

The campaign arrives as Formula 1 resumes a tightly contested season. In the drivers’ championship, Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli leads with 219 points, ahead of seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton on 169 and George Russell on 160. In the constructors’ standings, Mercedes tops the table with 379 points, Ferrari sits second on 307, and McLaren is third with 220.