Cryptocurrency betting and casino platform Stake has secured the naming rights to Sauber's Formula 1 car in a multi-year deal, becoming the team's title sponsor for the next two years.
Cryptocurrency betting and casino platform Stake has secured the naming rights to Sauber's Formula 1 car in a multi-year deal, becoming the team's title sponsor for the next two years. Stake takes over from Alfa Romeo, which did not extend its sponsorship of Sauber's C44 beyond 2023. The Sauber team is set to become Audi's factory team in 2026, leaving a two-year gap for interim sponsors.
Stake and its live-streaming platform Kick.com first appeared on Sauber's car in 2023 through initial sponsorship deals. The team will now be officially known as Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber and will launch its 2024 season at an event in London in February 2024.
Canadian rapper Drake, a Stake brand ambassador, participated in the New Year's Day unveiling of the rebranding and is expected to make appearances at select F1 races during the 2024 season. Kick.com will have naming rights to the chassis of Sauber's car, named the Kick Sauber C44. Former Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas and former F2 star Zhou Guanyu will continue as the team's drivers.
Formula 1 has attracted several cryptocurrency exchanges and businesses in recent years, with companies seeking to tap into the sport's global fan base through advertising and sponsorship deals. OKX partnered with McLaren in May 2022 as a primary partner of its F1 team, with its branding featured prominently on the MCL60 racing car in 2023. Crypto.com has been a major sponsor of Formula1 since 2021, with its branding visible at Grand Prix circuits worldwide. The cryptocurrency wallet and exchange operator also sponsors the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 team.
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