Leica and Formula 1 have announced a licensing partnership, and the first product to come out of it is the Leica Q3 43 Formula 1 Edition, a special edition of Leica’s 43mm full-frame compact.

The camera was unveiled at the Leica Store and Leica Gallery in Los Angeles, presented by Formula 1 presenter Ariana Bravo and 2009 F1 world champion Jenson Button. The event also featured 26 motorsport photographs by Italian F1 photographer Callo Albanese.

The headline change is carbon fibre, a material Leica says it doesn’t traditionally use on its cameras. The handgrip, which also charges the camera wirelessly, has a carbon fibre shell, and it’s joined by a soft-release button with a carbon inlay and red rim and a matching carbon thumb rest. Leica says the carbon parts are made and tested exclusively in Germany, and they’re placed exactly where the camera is held and operated, so the connection to motorsport is something you feel as well as see.

The usual covering is replaced by a black Microvelour finish modelled on a racing steering wheel. The red accents come from the same place: F1 steering wheel controls are colour-coded so drivers can find them quickly, and Leica has picked out the soft release and one of the two function buttons on the thumb rest in red. There’s an F1 logo on the top plate and lens cap, and the set includes a rope strap carrying both brands’ logos and custom packaging with a red inlay.

There’s a new image style too. The ‘Formula 1’ Leica Look has been developed specifically for this camera, with higher contrast and richer saturation designed to capture the atmosphere of the track and paddock. It’s only available on this edition, through the Leica FOTOS app, and it can be applied while you shoot so you see the effect in the viewfinder rather than only in post-processing.

Underneath, it’s a standard Q3 43. That means the APO-Summicron 43 f/2 ASPH. lens, with an angle of view close to natural human vision, and a full-frame BSI CMOS sensor with Triple Resolution Technology, giving the choice of 60, 36 or 18 megapixels. Fast hybrid autofocus and extensive video features complete the package, and the edition works with all existing Q3 and Q3 43 accessories.

Leica special editions always split opinion, and at £7,300 this is a significant premium over the standard Q3 43. But the carbon grip and thumb rest are practical additions that improve handling, and the exclusive Look gives it something more than cosmetic appeal. It’ll be most at home with collectors and F1 fans, but there’s no doubting it’s still one of the most capable compact cameras you can buy.

Leica Q3 43 Formula 1 Edition specifications

Leica Q3 43 Formula 1 Edition price and availability

The Leica Q3 43 Formula 1 Edition is available from 21 October 2026 at Leica Stores, the Leica Online Store and specialist retailers, priced at £7,300 / €8,500. Leica hasn’t said how many will be made. Find out more on the Leica Camera website.