Sauber has rebranded as the Stake F1 Team after striking a naming rights deal with the crypto betting and casino platform for the 2024 and 2025 Formula 1 seasons.
Stake, a cryptocurrency betting and casino platform, will take center stage in Formula 1 for the next two years, securing naming rights for Sauber’s F1 car.
Replacing Alfa Romeo, Stake secured the naming rights for Sauber’s C44 beyond 2023. By 2026, Sauber is set to transform into Audi’s factory team, creating a two-year sponsorship gap for interim sponsors.
Stake initially appeared on Sauber’s vehicle in 2023 through sponsorship deals with their live-streaming platform Kick.com. The team will officially be known as Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber, launching their 2024 season in London in February 2024.
The unveiling of the rebranding included Canadian rapper Drake on New Year’s Day, hinting at his potential appearances in select F1 races through 2024.
Motorsport.com notes that Kick.com will hold naming rights to Sauber’s car chassis, the Kick Sauber C44, with F1 teams usually managing their vehicles, effectively making Stake an F1 vehicle manufacturer.
The team’s drivers, former Mercedes driver Valterri Bottas and former F2 star Zhou Guanyu, will continue their roles.
In recent years, Formula 1 has attracted various cryptocurrency exchanges and businesses seeking to reach its global fan base through sponsorship and advertising. OKX partnered with McLaren in 2022, prominently featuring its branding on the MCL60 racing car in 2023.
Crypto.com has been a significant Formula 1 sponsor since 2021, showcasing its branding across Grand Prix circuits worldwide and sponsoring the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 team.
