Sauber has confirmed a major rebrand to Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber for the 2024 Formula 1 season after Alfa Romeo’s departure at the end of the current year.
The Swiss team Sauber will compete in the 2024 and 2025 Formula 1 seasons under the name ‘Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber,’ according to information made public by the FIA with the announcement of 2024 F1 entry.
Sauber has announced that Stake, an online gambling company, will remain as the title sponsor for the upcoming season. Additionally, Kick.com, a streaming service, has increased its engagement and secured the naming rights to the chassis.
Since Kick.com was named as the official title partner at the beginning of the 2023 Formula 1 season, its branding was already featured prominently on the F1 Team’s C43 bodywork at a few races this year.
“Sauber has always been about innovation, breaking the mould and defying convention,” Sauber team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi said.
“The partnership with Kick.com is the latest and boldest display of the philosophy that drives us. Kick.com is redefining the way live streaming is done and they will adopt the same disruptive approach in the world of Formula One.
“With Kick.com, our goal is to make the next step in finding new and innovative ways to get closer to our fans.”
Speaking of the announcement, Bijan Tehrani, Co-Founder at Kick.com added: “Kick.com has seen tremendous growth since its inception and is continuing to make waves in the streaming industry.
“KICK’s content is fast-paced and engaging, like what we witness every Grand Prix weekend. Just like this partnership, KICK was essentially destined for the racetrack.
“We are thrilled to take our collaboration to an unparalleled magnitude, backed by our knowledge of the motorsport culture, and our passion for cutting-edge technology.
“Exceptionally, this universally popular sport, aligns perfectly with our product and what we are building at Kick.com.”
The news comes after Alfa Romeo’s partnership with Sauber came to an end at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and the team has officially started its transition into Audi’s factory team. However, the Audi brand won’t surface until 2026, when the German automaker completely takes over the Hinwil-based team.
The German automaker plans to debut in Formula 1 in 2026, after the introduction of new power unit regulations that mandate a 50% electric powertrain. Audi, who committed to the 2026 engine specifications earlier this year, finds the championship considerably more appealing as a result.
It was assumed that the Audi name would automatically feature as a part of the rebrand earlier when Alfa Romeo announced its exit from the sport. However, team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi gave an explanation of why that isn’t taking place earlier this month.
“We cannot wait to start the partnership with our new partners, we will have I think a really fresh approach in terms of communication, marketing, and we will do a launch of the car here in the UK,” he said.
“It’s not a limbo period – we build our future here and now. It’s not that there is a separation between the Sauber period and the Audi period.
“We are working since the beginning of the year with our group CEO Andreas Seidl for this transformation process.
“The entry of Audi in Formula 1 as of 2026 is big news for the entire F1 community, not just important for Sauber to be chosen as a strategic partner. I think all Formula 1 will benefit from this.”
Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu will remain the team’s drivers for a third season in 2024 after starting their partnership at the start of 2022.
After finishing a pitiful ninth in 2023, only four points ahead of last-place Haas, the team will be looking for a much better season in 2024. Bravi has confirmed that the 2024 car will be launched in the UK.
The announcement of Sauber’s new appearance follows Aston Martin’s announcement on Thursday that, following a renegotiated five-year contract with the Saudi oil company, they will run as Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 Team in 2024.
