How does one gets to design in MotoGP to Formula 1?
Carlos Sainz-Ferrari F1-Helmet Graphics by Dave Designs-David Mata Motorsport Designers E1
From MotoAmerica Supersport to MotoGP: How Does That Even Happen?
People often ask me: “How did you go from designing a livery for a MotoAmerica Supersport bike (HSBK’s first racing year!) to working with a MotoGP team?”
Here’s the short answer:
Talent — natural and developed
Patience
Timing
Perseverance (with diplomacy!)
Smart actions, not just actions
Networking
Passion and desire
Huevos — the courage to put yourself out there
“Luck” — when opportunity meets preparation
And most importantly: one thing always leads to another
The Long Answer
Talent. You need it — but not just the kind you’re born with. It takes years of practice, mistakes, and learning. And not just graphic design, apparel design, or media skills — but an understanding of motorsports itself.
Patience. Nothing worthwhile in motorsport design happens when WE want it. Teams aren’t just waiting around for us — you’ve got to be patience for when the right time comes.
Timing. This one’s tricky, because it feels both out of your control and in your control at the same time.
Perseverance. You’ve got to keep showing up without crossing into “annoying.” For me, it took two full years of paddock visits. First just introducing myself, then following up, then simply saying hello when I ran into people. Eventually, the Aspar MotoGP team said: “Ok, let’s see what you’ve got.”
That’s where smart actions come in — I didn’t just hand out a card with a link, I showed up with a proper portfolio.
And yes — courage'/huevos!. Plenty of meh reactions and long faces at first. No problem. That’s all part of the process.
All of this was fueled by my passion and desire to be part of the MotoGP design world. And then there’s that small but very real factor — luck. I happened to meet someone who knew someone, who knew someone who knew the Qatar circuit manager, and suddenly I had paddock passes. From there, though, it was up to me to follow through with everything above.
Dave Designs
Take David Mata of Dave Designs. He started in the custom chopper scene, then moved into BMX, then motorsport graphics. His “lucky break” came when Marc Márquez split with Valentino Rossi’s VR46 design studio. Marquez launched a contest in Spain to find a new designer — and Dave Designs won!
That wasn’t just luck. That was talent meeting opportunity.
So… Will This Make You a MotoGP or F1 Designer?
No guarantees, of course. But here’s what I can guarantee: if you want to understand the real “how” of breaking into the top levels of motorsport design, you’ll find answers in the stories we share.
👉 Check out David’s full episode — and many more — only on MotorsportDesigners.com.