In mid-December, following the departure of Alfa Romeo as its title partner after a five-year association, the release of the FIA entry list for 2024 declared the team’s official name as Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber.
It was with reference to Australian brands Stake and Kick becoming more actively involved with Sauber ahead of Audi’s takeover in 2026.
The complexity of the new name, however, drew a degree of criticism, leading to the team issuing a cryptic post on social media five days later when it announced it was “on a mission to unleash the most exciting team identity this team has ever seen”.
Stake, a leading brand in the betting and gaming sector, is now Sauber’s exclusive title partner for the next two years, leading to a more simplified team name. On social media, it will be referred to as @stakef1team.
Team principal Alessandro Alunni Bravi said: “Last season represented the start of Stake’s journey in Formula 1, and the brand’s new role headlining Stake F1 Team represents the natural and exciting next step on this path.
“Stake not only successfully tapped into Formula 1’s growing fan base to enhance its own community, but also introduced a completely new audience to the sport, something that benefitted not only our team but also everyone else in F1.
“We had the opportunity to participate in 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 co-founder Edward Craven claims his company is now “ideally positioned to take the team to unprecedented heights from 2024 and beyond”.
He added: “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.”
With its aim to “redefine marketing activations in an exciting manner, leaving no tradition untouched and challenging the status quo”, the first of Stake’s so-called “high-profile experiences” will be the launch of the team’s new car, the C44, on February 5.
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