The Napkin That Changed Everything

In 1956, Sir Alec Issigonis sketched the first MINI on the back of a restaurant napkin: wheels pushed to the corners, engine flipped sideways, to illustrate his vision for a car that was compact on the outside, spacious on the inside, and handled like nothing else on the road. This unconventional design shook the auto industry. The MINI Cooper was launched in 1959, conquered the Monte Carlo Rally three times, and went on to become one of the most influential cars of the 20th century. To pay tribute to where it all began, we brought napkins printed with Issigonis’ original sketch to the Formula 1 Grand Prix 2025 in Austin, Texas.