Michelin Motorsport Advent Calendar 2026

The box is deep Michelin blue, with Bibendum — the Michelin Man — waving from an Alpine mountain road, and the themes "Roads · People · Adventure · A Cleaner Tomorrow." Inside, the 24 collectibles read like a love letter to driving: Bibendum in various poses, tyres and racing slicks, a Michelin service van, a toolbox and wrenches, a pressure gauge, a gas pump, a racing helmet, a checkered flag, the red "Le Guide Michelin" book, a compass, a mountain road, a suitcase, the Eiffel Tower, a Paris–Monaco–Genève–Nice signpost and a globe.

It is motoring culture in miniature — a brand that has spent well over a century tied to the romance of the road.

Bibendum is one of the oldest brand mascots on earth

The Michelin Man, properly called Bibendum, was created in 1898 — a figure made of stacked white tyres who has advertised Michelin for more than 120 years, making him one of the longest-running trademarks in the world. His rounded, friendly shape is as recognizable as the company name itself.

Putting Bibendum on nearly every door is the calendar’s smartest move: he carries instant recognition and a century of goodwill, turning a tyre brand into a genuinely collectible character.

The blue Michelin box with Bibendum and its 24 motoring collectibles.

The red book is the reason “Michelin star” means something

The little red "Le Guide Michelin" ornament points to one of the strangest, most brilliant marketing ideas in history. In 1900 Michelin began publishing a guide to help early motorists find fuel, lodging and food — and to encourage people to drive more and wear out more tyres. That guide evolved into the Michelin Guide, whose coveted stars now define fine dining worldwide.

So a tyre company became the ultimate authority on restaurants. The guide ornament, next to the little red flower-shaped star icon, quietly carries that whole surprising story.

Bibendum figures, Michelin tyres and the red Michelin Guide book.

Helmet, flag and signpost put the romance of the road in your hand

The racing helmet and checkered flag nod to Michelin’s deep motorsport history — its tyres have won at the highest levels of racing for decades — while the compass, suitcase and Paris–Monaco signpost sell the dream of the road trip itself. It is aspiration rendered as collectibles.

For a driver or a motorsport fan, it is a countdown built from the stuff of great drives. Pair it with the Marathon advent calendar for another "chase the finish line" countdown, or the SpaceX advent calendar.

The racing helmet, checkered flag, compass and signpost pieces.

The Michelin service van, toolbox and wrench pieces.

The 24-door tray with gold line-art of roads and mountains.

Twenty-four days of the open road — led, as ever, by the man made of tyres.

Written by Nadia Marsh, Collectibles Specialist at DoesignUs.