Lewis Hamilton helped bring a new sponsor to Mercedes.
Bild newspaper reports that the quadruple world champion, a fashion aficionado, was involved in connecting New York label Tommy Hilfiger with his F1 team.
"Lewis made contact last summer," Mercedes boss Toto Wolff confirmed.
"It’s a brand he likes. We then managed to put the partnership together."
The multi-year Tommy Hilfiger news could make it even more likely that Hamilton will stay at Mercedes for the foreseeable future.
When asked about a 2019 deal for Hamilton, Wolff told Sky Italia: "We are working on a few missing details, as we want to do it well.
"It also depends on how many years we want to extend it for, but I hope to close the contract before Australia."