Williams unveils new Marvel-inspired Doctor Doom livery at New York Comic Con ahead of Austin Fan Zone

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

Williams has expanded its ongoing collaboration with Marvel by unveiling a new Doctor Doom-inspired livery, debuting the design at New York Comic Con this month. The team says the special paint scheme replaces Williams’ usual blue with Doctor Doom’s trademark black-and-green colours and was shown alongside superhero-styled race suits and exclusive merchandise at the convention.

The Doctor Doom-themed show car was displayed as part of an immersive Marvel experience linked to the upcoming film Avengers: Doomsday. Williams said the broader partnership brings Formula 1 and Marvel Entertainment together in a crossover that extends beyond on-track competition and into fan-facing entertainment activations.

Neither Alex Albon nor Carlos Sainz will race in the Doctor Doom-inspired livery. Instead, the team is positioning the design for display during the United States Grand Prix weekend, pointing fans to the Williams Fan Zone in Austin for a closer look at the specially liveried FW48 show car.

The Williams–Marvel tie-in began in April, when the team announced that Albon, Sainz and team principal James Vowles would make their Marvel Comics debut in a one-shot comic titled Iron Man: Racing Towards Doom. In that story, the characters face a challenge separate from their usual Formula 1 context, with Doctor Doom threatening to disrupt the racing season.

Williams says Iron Man, Black Widow and Captain America join the Williams trio as they attempt to stop the supervillain’s plans. Written by Ethan Sacks with artwork by Greg Land, the 32-page comic is set for a wider U.S. release on October 21, timed just before the Grand Prix in Austin.

Beyond the comic book, Williams’ Marvel partnership has included special-edition covers released throughout the 2026 season. The collaboration began with an activation at the Miami Grand Prix featuring Marvel artwork and a giant comic-book cover photo opportunity, and has since moved to multiple races, with limited-edition covers celebrating Grands Prix including Monaco, Great Britain, Spain and Singapore, alongside editions for the United States and Las Vegas.

The team says it has also introduced a Marvel-themed digital badge for Williams ID members, offering exclusive digital assets to mark the partnership. At New York Comic Con, Williams centered the collaboration with a dedicated fan experience within Marvel’s exhibition space, including comic book artwork, superhero-inspired race suits and interactive displays.

For those attending the event, Williams says visitors could pick up one of 2,000 printed comics with an exclusive New York Comic Con cover. The team also offered race-worn suits and boots belonging to Albon and Sainz for purchase and ran a competition to win one of the special Marvel-inspired race suits.

Williams said the Doctor Doom livery will return to Texas this week. The Williams Fan Zone in downtown Austin will display the Marvel-inspired show car between October 19 and 24 and will also feature a special Austin edition of the comic book for purchase. The Fan Zone is scheduled to include appearances from Albon, James Vowles, reserve driver Luke Browning and 1996 World Champion Damon Hill, along with interactive racing experiences.

A wider theme behind the partnership is the perceived link between Formula 1 technology and the superhero genre, with Dr Miriam Kent—Lecturer in Film and Media at the University of Leeds and author of Women in Marvel Films—cited as noting the longstanding connection between Marvel stories and real-world public figures and sport. Kent also pointed to the way superhero narratives often explore the boundaries of advanced engineering, reflecting what she described as a natural fit between the mechanics of F1 and Marvel’s focus on high-tech possibilities.