The cryptocurrency betting and casino platform, Stake, has secured naming rights to Sauber’s F1 car, ensuring prominent visibility in Formula 1 for the next two years.
Stake replaces Alfa Romeo, whose sponsorship of Sauber’s C44 did not extend beyond 2023. Sauber is slated to rebrand as Audi’s factory team in 2026, creating a two-year interim period for other sponsors to step in.
Sauber first featured Stake and its live-streaming platform, Kick.com, on its vehicle through initial sponsorship deals in 2023. The team will now be officially known as Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber, and their 2024 season will kick off at a London event in February.
Canadian rapper Drake took part in a New Year’s Day unveiling of the rebranding and is expected to make appearances at select F1 races throughout the 2024 season.
Additionally, Motorsport.com highlights that Kick.com will have naming rights to the chassis of Sauber’s car, the Kick Sauber C44. Since F1 teams are responsible for building and maintaining their vehicles, Stake has effectively become an F1 vehicle manufacturer.
Former Mercedes driver Valterri Bottas and former F2 star Zhou Guanyu will continue as the team’s drivers.
Formula 1 has seen growing interest from cryptocurrency exchanges and businesses in recent years, as various companies seek to tap into the sport’s global fan base through advertising and sponsorship deals.
OKX initially partnered with McLaren in May 2022 as a primary partner of its F1 team, prominently featuring their branding on the MCL60 racing car in 2023.
Crypto.com has been a prominent sponsor of Formula 1 since 2021, with their branding visible at Grand Prix circuits worldwide in recent race calendars. The cryptocurrency wallet and exchange operator also sponsors the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 team.