Earlier this week, Aston Martin announced a partnership with Defected Records, the British record label and house music specialists. While the combination of motorsport and music is nothing new, the collaboration arrives as both F1 and house music continue to attract huge global audiences.
Key Highlights
- Aston Martin has partnered with Defected Records, bringing motorsport and house music together through a new collaboration.
- The team hosted a ‘Driven By Sound’ pop-up in Central London for I/AM members, featuring DJ sets, team memorabilia and interactive experiences.
- Aston Martin sees a natural connection between F1’s global reach and house music’s strong sense of community.
- House music already has a growing presence in F1, from the official F1 Tracks playlist to major DJs performing at Grand Prix events.
Aston Martin finds a natural fit with house music
House music originated in Chicago in the early 1980s and has grown into a mainstream genre, with its biggest tracks regularly appearing on charts around the world.
The genre already has a presence within Formula 1. A quick look through drivers’ social media posts often reveals house tracks being used alongside their content – Oscar Piastri, in particular, has made the connection noticeable.
Aston Martin has now taken that relationship further through its partnership with Defected Records, hosting a ‘Driven By Sound’ pop-up in Central London for its I/AM members.
A partnership built around culture and community
According to Aston Martin Chief Marketing Officer Rob Bloom, the partnership reflects the brand’s desire to work with culturally significant properties. “We want to associate ourselves with iconic properties and Defected absolutely ticks that box.”
Bloom also highlighted the similarities between Defected’s community-driven approach and Aston Martin’s own ambitions in Formula 1. “Defected is the belief that house music exists on and off the dance floor, and that community culture is so much more than just the music.”
He added that Aston Martin wants to welcome fans into its world whether they attend a Grand Prix or not, while positioning the brand as something that extends beyond cars and motorsport. “The Aston Martin brand is 100 years old, but it's always been a cultural phenomenon.”
Why did Aston Martin choose house music?
Music has long been connected with Formula 1, from the sport’s association with Fleetwood Mac’s ‘The Chain’ to the album created for F1 The Movie. With countless genres available, however, Aston Martin saw a particularly strong connection with house music. Bloom pointed to F1’s 825 million fans worldwide as an example of the sport’s enormous global reach, while explaining how smaller fan experiences can create a more personal connection.
Inside Aston Martin’s ‘Driven By Sound’ pop-up
For Aston Martin’s I/AM members, the Soho pop-up provides an opportunity to experience the team away from the traditional Grand Prix environment. Guests can enjoy complimentary coffee and DJ sets from Sam Divine and RUZE, while a run club is also scheduled to take place on Sunday.
Inside the venue, fans can get a closer look at pieces of F1 memorabilia, including Fernando Alonso’s race suit and helmet. There is also a sound wall where visitors can listen to a combination of team radio, the Honda power unit and team radio from Aston Martin’s F1 ACADEMY driver Mari Boya.
House music is all about shared experiences
For house producer Simon Marlin of The Shapeshifters, the connection between the genre and community is central to what makes it special. Marlin pointed to Defected Croatia as an example, where people who had never met years earlier have formed close friendships through shared experiences at the festival. He believes that ability to bring people together is one of house music’s biggest strengths.
F1’s music crossover continues to grow
The Aston Martin and Defected partnership is the latest example of the growing crossover between Formula 1 and house music. Some of the genre’s biggest DJs have already contributed to F1 Tracks, the sport’s official playlist, while major names such as Diplo have performed at Grand Prix events, including this year’s Singapore Grand Prix.
With the connection between the two worlds becoming increasingly visible, there could even be more F1 drivers following a musical path after retirement. One example is former F1 driver Jaime Alguersuari, who now works as a DJ and producer under the stage name Squire.
