After nine years away, Formula 1’s return to Malaysian soil carried the buzz of a long-awaited homecoming. PETRONAS, Title and Technical Partner of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team, wanted to reignite fans’ excitement and bring the thrill of motorsport closer to the nation.
Services
Creative
Activation
Project Management
Video Production
Client
Petronas
Year
2026
Location
Malaysia
Challenge
A homecoming means more when people can be part of it. PETRONAS wanted to turn the occasion into a celebration that matched the excitement and pride of Malaysian fans, rather than leave them watching from a distance. The ambition was to make the heart of Kuala Lumpur feel like the heart of the action: a spectacle with the PETRONAS Twin Towers as its backdrop and a public meet-and-greet that brought fans face to face with the team’s drivers. It had to feel big enough for the moment, but close enough for fans to share in it.
Solution
The PETRONAS Twin Towers became the setting for an immersive Formula 1 celebration. At the landmark, a bespoke two-storey hospitality suite gave contest winners and specially invited guests the chance to meet and interact with Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli. It made the homecoming personal, placing time with the drivers at the centre of the experience for those guests.
For fans exploring the celebration, a purpose-built F1 garage put the team’s latest race car on display. Its first public showcase offered a close look at the machinery behind the excitement. Four historic Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One cars were also showcased, setting the latest car alongside the team’s racing heritage. Together, the displays gave fans a way to experience both the present and the past of the team.
At KLCC, a large public meet-and-greet brought Russell and Antonelli together with the crowd. Rain did not keep fans away: they turned out in force, and the drivers stepped out to engage with them despite the downpour. It was a moment shaped by the people who came to see their racing heroes, not just by the scale of the setting.
The finale took that shared energy across the skyline. Russell and Antonelli launched a laser light show over the PETRONAS Twin Towers, with fireworks illuminating Kuala Lumpur. The landmark, the cars, the encounters with the drivers and the final display all played a part in making Speed Came Home a celebration fans could experience up close.
Impact
More than 10,000 fans attended the celebration of Formula 1’s homecoming to Malaysia. A collaboration between PETRONAS, adidas and the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team brought motorsport, entertainment and fan engagement together in a first-of-its-kind spectacle at the PETRONAS Twin Towers. Beyond the meet-and-greet, the event brought Malaysians together around a shared moment of national pride as Speed Came Home.
