 |
Featuring Lewis Hamilton’s foundation Mission 44, ‘The First Lap’ campaign
highlights the power of giving every dream a starting point
RESTON, Va., April 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Public Interest Registry (PIR), the nonprofit organization that operates the .ORG domain, launched a global advertising campaign Tuesday in collaboration with Formula 1 supported by charity Mission 44, founded by Sir Lewis Hamilton to uplift the millions of mission-driven organizations and individuals powered by .ORG.
PIR_F1
PIR’s largest campaign to date, the collaboration marks a historic moment for .ORG, spotlighting the people and organizations driving impact in communities everywhere and bringing the world’s largest platform for mission-driven organizations to one of the world’s biggest stages.
Titled “The First Lap,” the campaign’s centerpiece is a new 30-second television advertisement that highlights how every journey starts somewhere. For drivers, there’s a first lap: a first introduction, a first lesson, or someone who says yes. For changemakers, there’s a .ORG domain ready to serve as a trusted home for their mission-driven work.
“Every changemaker begins with a dream, and dreams grow when someone gives them a start. For millions of missions around the world, .ORG is the place where that start begins and those dreams become a reality,” said Jon Nevett, CEO of Public Interest Registry. “Public Interest Registry is proud to support that starting point for millions of .ORGs around the world.”
The backdrop for the video centers around a day that brought together Mission 44 and the Association for Black & Minority Ethnic Engineers, which included a team of experts, engineers and coaches to teach a group of children about aerodynamics, how Formula 1 race cars work, and karting techniques through workshops and an on-track experience. The end product shows real footage of the .ORG Community in action.
“It was important to PIR that this campaign featured the real people and stories behind the .ORG domain,” said Judy Song-Marshall, Chief Strategy Officer of Public Interest Registry. “It was incredibly meaningful to collaborate with Mission 44 to create a real enrichment experience where young people could explore STEM and motorsport in a hands-on way,”
A member of the .ORG Community, Mission 44 is driving change so that every young person can thrive in school and access a great career in STEM and motorsport.
“Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not, and that’s what drives our work at Mission 44. Every young person deserves the chance to take their first step towards a future in STEM and motorsport, where access has too often been limited. We’re proud to work with Formula 1 and Public Interest Registry on ‘The First Lap’—a campaign that brings opportunity to life, and inspires young people around the world to imagine themselves in motorsport,” said Jason Arthur, Chief Executive Officer of Mission 44.
“The First Lap” campaign is part of PIR’s nonprofit mission to support and uplift the .ORG Community. The new partnership builds on PIR’s multiyear “Three Letters that Change the World” campaign.
For more than 40 years, the .ORG domain has been and continues to be a signal of trust, credibility, and community for anyone working to make a difference online. “The First Lap” will premiere during the FORMULA 1 CRYPTO.COM MIAMI GRAND PRIX 2026 and continue throughout 2026.
About Public Interest Registry
Public Interest Registry (PIR) is a nonprofit that operates the .ORG top-level domain—one of the world’s largest generic top-level domains with more than 11.9 million domain names registered worldwide. .ORG is open to everyone, providing a global platform for organizations, associations, clubs, businesses and individuals to bring their ideas to life. PIR has been a champion for a free and open Internet for more than two decades with a clear mission to be an exemplary domain name registry, provide a trusted digital identity and help educate those who dedicate themselves to improving our world. PIR was founded by the Internet Society (internetsociety.org) in 2002 and is based in Reston, Virginia, USA. Visit www.pir.org for more information.
About Mission 44
Founded by seven-time Formula One World Champion Sir Lewis Hamilton, Mission 44 is a global charitable foundation driving change so that every young person can thrive in school and access great careers in STEM. By funding innovative programmes, connecting changemakers, and campaigning to shift policy and attitudes, Mission 44 is breaking down systemic barriers for underrepresented young people around the world.
