The 15 Best Gift Ideas For The Motorsport Fan In Your Life

The holiday season is upon us, which means it's time to remember what all of our friends and family members like and enjoy in hopes we can indulge them in the perfect gifts for our respective holidays. If you're not a motorsport buff but you still want to find a fun gift for that special petrolhead in your life, then you've come to the right place.

I'm a big race fan myself, so this is coming right from the heart. This is pretty much a comprehensive list of everything I wish I could get for the holidays (even though, as a Legally Grown Woman, I am now resigned to a life of cookware as gifts).

We all know that race tickets can be a little bit costly if you're trying to fit it into the budget — but if you have the means, surprising a loved one with tickets to an event they've been dreaming about would be incredible. Just make sure that lucky individual will be able to travel to the event in question.

Listen. Hospitality and paddock passes are expensive for F1, so I'm not expecting you to shell out a few thousand for a loved one. But, a lot of folks aren't aware that for a few hundred dollars, they can get great access at other races. It's a great way to give someone a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Some of us just want to watch rich guys in fast cars drive in circles. Others actually want to get out there behind the wheel. If your loved one is dying to become a race car driver (even if only for a few days), then buying them a trip to a racing school is a great way to become their favorite person ever.

There are tons of racing school options; a quick Google search will show you any that exist in your area. If you want to get really serious, though, you can't go wrong with Skip Barber, Dirtfish, Drift101, the Richard Petty Driving Experience, or the Cory Kruseman Sprint Car School. Jalopnik writers have taken a pass at quite a few driving schools and programs you can read about.

If you have #f1tv and aren't using @f1multiviewer yet you are doing it wrong. pic.twitter.com/nyfJmuO0rE

— Martin Neuberger (@NbgMartin) November 13, 2022

Do your motorsport-obsessed loved one a favor, and get them a subscription to one of the many streaming services dedicated to motorsport, which include:

• F1TV

• Peacock (IndyCar, IMSA)

• Motorsport.tv

• MotoGP Videopass

• Motortrend

• WRC+

whoever decided the IndyCar women's merch should be upgraded from terrible boomer-ass tshirts to delicious crop top sweaters deserves a damn raise pic.twitter.com/qfNl9ETan8

— Elizabeth Blackstock (@eliz_blackstock) March 21, 2022

Race merchandise can get expensive, especially if your loved one is a fan of Formula 1. Getting them a shirt or a hat to show off their love of a sport is a great way to let them know you're aware of their interests.

If you're not even sure where to start, many series or teams offer gift cards for their online stores, which is a foolproof way to let the motorsport fan in your life pick what they're looking for.

me on ebay at midnight: i absolutely do need this marussia laptop sleeve from 2012 pic.twitter.com/DBEVANG32Q

— Elizabeth Blackstock (@eliz_blackstock) February 9, 2016

If you're willing to delve into the realms of eBay, you can find some ridiculously amazing vintage merchandise. If your loved one just really loves old tacky NASCAR t-shirts, you can find 'em in bulk. If they've always wanted a defunct Mastercard Lola crew shirt, I'm sure that's there, too. After several late night wine-fueled eBay sessions, I've ended up with a Marussia shirt from every era of the team, an F1 calendar from 1974 that I turned into a wall mural, an IRL cartoon statue, and an Onyx diecast.

Listen. Being a motorsport fan can be tough — especially if you love an underdog. So, while any alcohol can do, you could also treat your race fan to one of the many specialty alcohols designed by drivers or used by race teams, like:

• Ferrari Trento, the sparkling wine used on the F1 podium

• Daniel Ricciardo's wine collection

• Valtteri Bottas' gin

I've already been scolded for leaving out an important member of the family: Romain Grosjean's Rich Energy Haas F1 fire suit pic.twitter.com/ElVxJUvN9d

— Alanis King (@alanisnking) October 13, 2022

If you're willing to shell out some big bucks, there are plenty of websites and Facebook groups that sell things like race-worn firesuits, pieces of car, and other memorabilia that you're just not going to find anywhere else. Here are some great places to start:

• Memento Exclusives

• The Racing Warehouse

• Race Used

• The GP Box

Work in progress! Who's driving?#F1 #F1Art #ContemporaryArt pic.twitter.com/rFtWjECyDy

— David Tyers Art (@DavidTyers9) November 6, 2022

There's no shortage of amazing artists who have used motorsport as their inspiration. Don't be afraid to do a little digging, but here are some of my personal favorite artists:

• David Tyers

• Go for the Gap

• Charles Avalon

• Bill Patterson

  Of course, this is only a tiny selection — with a little research, you can find so many great options.

If you have a pal that really loves hanging out at the race track, then buying them some nice race day equipment would be a godsend. Depending on how the race fan in your life likes to attend events, that could include:

• Tents or other camping gear

• Pop-up tents

• Folding chairs

• Coolers

• Clear backpacks

• Nice refillable water bottles

• A portable phone battery charger

  Seriously. I know plenty of people who will only upgrade their trackside gear when something breaks or falls apart — and the comfort of a nice folding chair truly cannot be understated.

I've reviewed plenty of great motorsport books in my day, and there are plenty out there for your loved one's specific racing interests — including a list of my favorites!

I also recommend heading out to Half-Price Books or other used bookstores in your area to check out their automotive and motorsport section; I wasn't expecting much from rural Texas, but I've found some gems!

The motorsport-inspired snack market isn't huge right now, but I have two great contenders to throw into the ring. First up is Drive Coffee, which has an impressive collection of motorsport-inspired beans, all of which I can vouch for as being very great. The other is Racing Chocs, where you can purchase helmet-shaped chocolate truffles in honor of your loved one's favorite driver. Coffee and chocolate — what better combination?

If your loved one is a history buff, tickets to a racing museum or hall of fame are always a great idea. There are some big-name motorsport museums here in America, including the NASCAR Hall of Fame and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum (pro tip: get them the basement tour), but you may also be able to find something closer to you.

Have you ever wanted a candle that smells like Daniel Ricciardo? A Dale Earnhardt lighter sleeve made of tobacco leaves? A handmade NASCAR gnome? Race car crayons? Honestly, the Etsy world is your oyster. Just be willing to delve deep into the results pages.

If you've made it to the end of this list, then that means I must have done something right — and will be celebrating with a little self-promotion. Alanis King and I published our first book this year, and I'm not saying it's the perfect gift... but it's definitely the perfect gift.