Best Large Scale Project
Name: Custom Formulate F1 Car – The Print Show 2025
Company: Ultima Displays
Description:
To support Ultima Displays’ “Partner with the Winning Team” theme at The Print Show 2025, our design team set out to create a unique centrepiece that would stop visitors in their tracks, encourage interaction and demonstrate the limitless creative possibilities as trade partner of Ultima Displays.
The result was a full-size custom Formulate F1 car, purpose-designed to house an F1 racing simulator and become the focal point of the exhibition stand. More than just a display, the structure created an immersive experience, inviting visitors to take the driver’s seat, compete on the simulator and engage with the Ultima Displays team while discovering the products, services and expertise available to help grow their own businesses.
The project was conceived, designed, engineered and manufactured entirely in-house by the talented team at Ultima Displays. Inspired by the sleek aerodynamic lines of a Formula One racing car, the bespoke aluminium Formulate framework demonstrated just how versatile tension fabric structures can be when pushed beyond traditional exhibition applications.
Every element of the car was carefully considered to reinforce the Ultima Displays brand. The textile graphics incorporated the company’s distinctive branding, colour categorisation from the 2026 Display Handbook and references to key product families, transforming the structure into a striking three-dimensional showcase of the Ultima Displays portfolio. All graphics were printed, sewn and finished in-house before being expertly fitted to the custom-engineered frame, resulting in a seamless, high-quality finish that combined visual impact with exceptional craftsmanship.
Visitors were fascinated to discover that the impressive F1 car had been created using Formulate aluminium tubing and tension fabric graphics, with many initially assuming it had been manufactured from traditional rigid materials. The project became an excellent conversation starter, allowing the team to demonstrate the flexibility, creativity and scalability of fabric structures while inspiring customers to think differently about their own display projects.
As the centrepiece of the stand, the custom F1 car successfully fulfilled its objective of attracting visitors, increasing dwell time and creating meaningful conversations. The interactive simulator encouraged conversations that naturally led into discussions around Ultima Displays’ extensive range of display hardware, print capabilities and trade support services.
The project perfectly embodied the “Partner with the Winning Team” message by combining innovative design, expert engineering, premium textile printing and flawless finishing into a single, unforgettable exhibit. It stands as an outstanding example of Ultima Displays’ ability to transform imaginative concepts into functional, attention-grabbing custom display solutions that showcase both the versatility of Formulate® and the exceptional talent of the company’s in-house design, print and manufacturing teams.
The success of the project extended well beyond The Print Show. We were so proud of the finished structure that it has been given a home in our Customer Experience Space at our Corby headquarters, where it continues to inspire visitors. The F1 car provides an opportunity for guests to experience first-hand what can be achieved using Formulate structures and textile graphics, reinforcing our commitment to creativity, innovation and exceptional print quality long after the exhibition has ended.
Project Completion Date: September 19, 2025
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Supporting Statement
Entry ID: 2163
