Aston Martin Aramco Bring Formula 1 to Bristol Children’s Hospital 

The Aston Martin Aramco Formula One® Team surprised sick kids at Bristol Children’s Hospital with a very special visit from their replica Formula 1 car and a professional racing driver. 

Christmas came early for patients at Bristol Children’s Hospital, who found a Formula 1 car parked outside the building on Thursday! 

Children and teenagers from across the hospital’s many wards were invited to see the impressive car on display, which had been polished up for the occasion by the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One® Team.

The replica car was an unmissable sight, giving the patients a glimpse into the world of professional racing and adding some joy to their long days in hospital. (Needless to say, the parents of Bristol Children’s Hospital patients were just as thrilled as their kids.)

The visit to Bristol Children’s Hospital was part of the team’s nationwide community outreach programme, with five hospitals up and down the country being visited by the replica car and racing drivers.

Meeting Jessica Hawkins, Formula 1 Driver 

The patients also had the chance to meet Jessica Hawkins, Aston Martin Aramco Driver Ambassador and Head of F1 Academy. As someone whose racing career began with go-karting at the age of eight, Jessica is the perfect person to inspire young patients, demonstrating how a childhood hobby can become a full-time job. 

Aston Martin’s visit was especially exciting for Dolphin Ward, the hospital’s specialist cardiac ward, where one of the patients is a Formula 1 superfan. Sadly, this patient wasn’t able to make the trip down to the car park, so Jessica made his day by visiting him inside the hospital. 

Designing Real Formula 1 Helmets 

On top of the day’s VIP guests, Aston Martin Aramco worked with Bristol Children’s Hospital’s Play Team to organise a helmet design competition… with a once-in-a-lifetime prize up for grabs.

In the weeks leading up to the visit, children designed their own colourful and wacky Formula 1 helmets on templates provided by Aston Martin.

Jessica was also there to judge the helmet design competition, selecting three designs to be entered into a nationwide competition to have their artwork transformed into a real Formula 1 helmet!

The winning design will be made into two helmets – one for Jessica (which we’ll be keeping an eye out for on the racing track) and one to be auctioned off to raise money for the winning hospital.

Thank you to Aston Martin Aramco for bringing this wonderful experience to Bristol Children’s Hospital. Special visits like this one are essential in keeping spirits up during difficult times and encouraging sick children to engage in activities that distract them from their illness.