Sauber has confirmed that it will be running as the Stake F1 Team brand from now until 2026 when it is expected to become the Audi works team.
Sauber will now officially take the name Stake F1 Team effective the coming season, thereby ending the suspense surrounding the team’s F1 2024 name revelation.
Last month, the FIA’s entry list for the 2024 season featured the Swiss team’s rebranding as ‘Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber’ after Alfa Romeo confirmed its exit. However, the new name did not receive approval from fans.
Sauber later disclosed that this would not be their official identity for the coming season. The team responded by teasing an announcement for New Year’s Day on social media, writing: “Just when you thought the sizzle was over, we’re about to raise the stakes even higher.”
It is now official that Stake, a betting company, will be Sauber’s exclusive title partner for 2024 and 2025. This means that the Hinwil-based team will no longer have its name changed for the next two years under the sponsorship of the gambling company.
The move initiates a new beginning for the Swiss outfit as it starts this new chapter with a rejuvenated identity and maintains the successful partnership that Sauber and Stake established in 2023.
Stake will assume control of the team’s social media accounts as @stakef1team, reflecting the squad’s new branding to further align with the association’s fan-centric values.
“Last season represented the start of Stake’s journey in Formula One, and the brand’s new role headlining Stake F1 Team represents the natural and exciting next step on this path,” said Sauber team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi.
“Stake not only successfully tapped into Formula One’s growing fan base to enhance its own community; but also introduced a completely new audience to the sport, something that benefited not only our team but also everyone else in F1.
“We had the opportunity to participate in some incredible activations with some of Stake’s ambassadors, including Argentine football legend, Sergio Aguero and Indian-Canadian rapper Karan Aujla.
“2024 will be a new page and the chance to do more, better, and reach even farther: we are looking forward to an even more exciting calendar of events in this new season.”
Stake was founded in 2017 by a group of entrepreneurs from the technology and betting industries, and since then, it has grown to become a major force in the sports and entertainment industries. The business is the jersey sponsor of Everton Football Club in the Premier League of England. The company additionally has close ties to Canadian rapper Drake.
“We are thrilled with the opportunity to bring an electrifying and brand-new identity into our F1 team, kick-starting the F1 season with a bold team name, Stake F1 Team,” Stake Co-Founder Edward Craven said.
“Fueled by deep passion for speed, innovation, and pushing boundaries, we are now ideally positioned to take the team to unprecedented heights from 2024 and beyond.
“The upcoming years will be a thrilling ride with some mind-blowing activations planned that will redefine excitement on and off the track. So, brace yourselves and stay tuned, as Stake F1 Team accelerates towards an exciting future!”
Audi is expected to acquire a full stake in Sauber Group in time for the 2026 regulations as the German automaker is already rumored to be developing a power unit for the major changes to F1 regulations that will take effect that year.
Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas will race for the Swiss squad in 2024 after working with the team for the past two seasons. Alfa Romeo placed ninth in the F1 constructors’ championship last year, while Bottas placed 15th and Zhou 18th in the drivers championship.
