A Sustainable Partnership: Williams Racing Announces Collaboration with Coral Eyewear

On Earth Day, Williams Racing is pleased to announce a multi-year agreement with Coral Eyewear as an Official Licensee, which will see Nicholas Latifi and Alex Albon wearing Coral’s distinctive polarised-mirror sunglasses this season and the release of Williams Racing sunglasses.

Coral Eyewear creates stylish, sustainable eyewear using regenerated ocean waste and other recycled materials. The company was set up in 2019 by British entrepreneur George Bailey, when he was just 19, with a goal to improve the sustainability credentials of the global eyewear industry.

In addition to the team’s race drivers wearing Coral Eyewear during the season, the collaboration will see the creation of co-branded Williams Racing sunglasses, which will incorporate team colours and limited-edition engravings, which is expected to be released prior to the British Grand Prix.

Williams Racing announced its Sustainability Strategy in October 2021, outlining a higher purpose that extends far beyond the track. The team wishes to educate and inspire a global audience to push the boundaries of technology and innovation by becoming a catalyst for change, as well as extending a commitment to sustainability on and off the racetrack.

Coral Eyewear frames are created using ECONYL, pellets of recycled nylon created from regenerated ocean fishing nets and fabric scraps from landfill. 600,000 tonnes of fishing nets are thought to be abandoned in our oceans every year, with each net taking up to 600 years to break down. During this time, tiny fragments called micro plastics are ingested by animals and World Animal Protection estimates one abandoned net entangles 30-40 marine animals per year.

Williams Racing Chief Marketing Officer Claudia Schwarz said, “Coral Eyewear and Williams Racing are committed to harnessing sustainable innovation by utilising the latest technologies and innovations and bringing them alive through state-of-the-art products.This collaboration is very special and exciting. We will be heavily involved in Coral’s summer long campaign, encapsulating its sport and entertainment partnerships and, as well as the creation of special Williams Racing eyewear, we will be collaborating across a host of different areas including content, competitions and events.”

George Bailey, founder of Coral Eyewear, continued, “We’re immensely proud to be partnering with Williams, one of Formula One’s most decorated and loved teams. As well as sharing our British roots, Williams as a brand encapsulates our motto of “Style Without Compromise” which combines sustainable innovation with a relentless drive for aesthetics and high-performance engineering. With races such as Miami joining the F1 calendar and a rapidly growing global audience, we believe this partnership will create true positive global impact and drive the Coral brand to the forefront of the premium eyewear market.”

Coral Eyewear creates stylish, sustainable eyewear using regenerated ocean waste and other recycled materials. The company was set up in 2019 by British entrepreneur George Bailey, when he was just 19, with a goal to improve the sustainable credentials of the global eyewear industry. It has since built up a strong high-street presence with over 100 independent opticians stocking the brand within a year of launch and attracted backing by entrepreneur and broadcaster Jake Humphrey, after he was inspired by the ambition and vision for sustainable eyewear.

Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited's core competencies are the design and development of racing cars to compete in the Formula One World Championship. As one of the world's leading Formula One teams, the company has secured 16 FIA Formula One World Championship titles since its foundation in 1977. Nine of these titles have been won in the Constructors' Championship in association with Cosworth, Honda and Renault. The remaining seven titles were won in the Drivers' Championship with Alan Jones, Keke Rosberg, Nelson Piquet, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve.