Theme songs from F1 and car races. Classic tracks that are also great for driving.
What kind of background music do you choose when you go for a drive? If you’re a fan of motorsports like F1, many of you might enjoy playlists that compile historic Formula 1 Grand Prix theme songs.
Even if you’re not deeply familiar with F1, these tracks are all full of exhilarating energy—perfect for driving.
Popular songs are often used in commercials and TV programs, so you might recognize them even if you don’t know their titles.
In this article, we’re bringing you a collection of theme songs from F1 and other car races.
Be sure to check out which bands and artists are behind them!
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Theme songs of F1 and car racing: classic tracks also recommended for driving (11–20)
UnderdogRoddy Ricch
This work by Roddy Ricch, who grew up in Compton and is a Grammy Award winner, is included on F1 The Album, the official soundtrack for the film F1: The Movie, and was released in June 2025.
It carries a powerful message about overcoming adversity and pressure, blending a driving beat with a melancholic, melodic rap to create a superb piece of trap music.
Producer D.A.
Got That Dope crafted a sound that rumbles like an engine and shakes you to your core.
It’s the perfect track for clutch moments or a late-night drive down the highway.
Grandma Calls The Boys Bad NewsRAYE
This is a track featured on the official soundtrack for the film F1: The Movie, which is based on the world’s premier motorsport.
Included on the album F1 The Album, the song is performed by RAYE, a powerhouse singer from London, and the film opens in June 2025.
Its arrangement, marked by a retro, robust soul vibe, is distinctive and stirs the listener’s heart.
The mature, laid-back groove makes it a perfect fit for a twilight drive.
Recommended not only for F1 fans, but also for anyone who wants to relax with comfortable, feel-good music.
Formula 1 ThemeBrian Tyler
If someone without any background knowledge heard this grand orchestral sound, they’d probably assume it was some kind of film score.
Conversely, those familiar with movie music might recognize the melody and suspect what it is: the official F1 theme song from the 2018 season, composed by Brian Tyler—now one of America’s leading film composers, known for hits like the Fast & Furious series and Iron Man 3.
Its thoroughly Americanized, epic worldview and rock-like dynamism—complete with the incorporation of engine sounds—have divided longtime F1 fans.
That said, many people say the more you listen, the more it draws you in, and it’s fair to say it’s well worth a listen even if you’re not an F1 fan.
A LatchkeySatō Jun
When it comes to theme songs for motorsports—not just F1—many people picture energetic rock or fusion sounds.
In that sense, this track, “A LATCHKEY,” might be an exception.
It’s a masterpiece composed by Jun Sato, a keyboardist who has performed with many artists including Char, arranged major hits like Hikaru Genji’s “Paradise Ginga” and Yosui Inoue’s “Make-up Shadow,” and has won the Japan Record Award.
Released under his solo name in 1988, it opens the album “Aya,” and is a piece built around a wistful piano that unfolds dramatically—lyrical yet imbued with a quiet intensity.
It was used as the theme song for Fuji TV’s F1 Grand Prix broadcasts from 1993 to 1994, and among fans it became affectionately known as the theme for the legendary driver Ayrton Senna.
When Senna tragically passed away, the track was also played in memorial programs and tributes.
PEACE OF MINDNakamura Miki (SHOW-YA)
SHOW-YA, a pioneering all-female rock-to-heavy metal band in Japan, once disbanded but reunited in 2005 and has continued to perform energetically.
“PEACE OF MIND,” an instrumental track released in 1992 under the solo name of Miki Nakamura—SHOW-YA’s keyboardist, band leader, and an active composer—served as Nigel Mansell’s theme song for Fuji TV’s F1 Grand Prix.
Performed by SHOW-YA’s members, the piece features a melodious synth sound and dynamically driving, high-speed guitar work that’s pleasing to the ear, packed with catchy phrases.
If you listen to it as driving music, be careful not to speed!
God Only KnowsYashiki Gota
Speaking of GOTA—Mr.
Gota Yashiki—he’s a renowned drummer who has worked with many world-class musicians, and he has also made a remarkable mark as a multi-instrumentalist and music producer.
It’s impressive that he officially joined the popular UK group Simply Red as a member and supported the band through its mature phase.
As a composer, GOTA has created numerous classics, and he also produced the theme music for the 2009 Formula 1 Grand Prix broadcasts.
Titled “God only knows,” this track offers a distinct vibe compared to the fusion- and rock-centered sounds typical of F1 themes, featuring a cool sound arrangement that could only come from GOTA, who excels at programming.
Enjoy the tightly articulated drum beats, the subtly wistful keyboard melody, and the dramatic song development.
Theme songs of F1 and car races. Classic tracks also recommended for driving (21–30)
GO FURTHERMatsumoto Takahiro
This is a piece that was used as the opening theme for the F1 Grand Prix from 1999 to 2000.
The intro—especially the guitar riff—is truly moving and conveys the grand scale of the event.
It’s a cool track with the exhilarating sense of speed characteristic of car racing.