Leica and Formula 1 Debut $9,950 Q3 43 Edition at Los Angeles Store Event

Leica Camera and Formula 1 announced a licensing partnership and debuted the Leica Q3 43 Formula 1 Edition camera at an event at the Leica Store and Gallery in Los Angeles on October 20, 2026. Stock Titan reported the camera retails for $9,950 and is available at all Leica Stores, in the Leica Online Store and from specialist retailers.

The Q3 43 Formula 1 Edition and Its Launch

Formula 1 presenter Ariana Bravo and 2009 FIA Formula 1 Drivers' World Champion Jenson Button presented the collaboration to guests. A series of 26 motorsport photographs by Callo Albanese, an Italian photographer who specializes in Formula 1 and motorsport photography, was also on display at the event.

The set includes a wireless charging handgrip with a carbon fiber shell, a soft-release button with a carbon inlay and red rim, and a matching thumb rest. Leica said the carbon fiber parts were manufactured and tested exclusively in Germany. The camera also carries a non-slip Microvelour covering modelled on a racing steering wheel, an F1 logo on the top plate and lens cap, and a rope strap bearing both brands' logos.

The Leica Q3 43 provided the technical basis for the edition, with a 43-millimeter APO-Summicron 43 f/2 ASPH. lens. Its BSI CMOS full-frame sensor offers 60, 36 or 18 megapixels through Triple Resolution Technology. A 'Formula 1' look developed for the camera is available exclusively through the Leica FOTOS App. The edition is compatible with Leica Q3 and Q3 43 photography accessories.

Formula 1 racing began in 1950, and Formula One World Championship Limited holds the exclusive commercial rights to the FIA Formula One World Championship, according to the announcement.

Leica's Recent Product and Partnership Record

According to akta.pro company records, Leica launched the SL3-P full-frame mirrorless camera at $6,690 in June 2026, with a 44MP sensor, 40fps burst, 8K video and Frame.io Camera-to-Cloud integration. The same records list a June 2026 partnership with Sharp Corporation on a Leica-branded triple camera system for the Sharp AQUOS R11 smartphone, and a June 2026 partnership with Insta360 on the Luna Ultra pocket camera featuring Leica Summicron lenses and color science. Leica operates approximately 120 stores worldwide, the records show.

Earlier Leica Announcements This Season

Leica announced Graciela Iturbide as its 2026 Hall of Fame recipient, honoring her five-decade career in documentary photography, Yahoo reported in October 2026. Leica also announced the 2026 Oskar Barnack Award winners, with Damir Faizulin taking the top prize for his Dagestan documentary, Laila AnnMarie Stevens winning the Newcomer Award and Valentina Sinis receiving the inaugural Women Grant, Yahoo reported in October 2026. In September 2026, Lexar and Leica collaborated on an Amsterdam exhibition pairing silk weaver Jingwei and film photographer Jing Huang, Yahoo reported.

Availability

The Leica Q3 43 Formula 1 Edition is available starting on October 20, 2026 at all Leica Stores, in the Leica Online Store and from specialist retailers, priced at $9,950.