Formula 1 team Sauber has received a new name for the upcoming 2024 season after title sponsor Alfa Romeo’s exit. Sauber has been rebranded as ‘Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber’. The Swiss team will operate under the new name for the next two seasons before rebranding to Audi in 2026. This will also mark the German automaker's entry into the premier-class championship.
The Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber name was an expected one after online gambling company Stake was announced as the title sponsor alongside Alfa Romeo in January this year. Meanwhile, streaming company ‘Kick.com’ was brought in as a “major partner” as well. Stake continues as the title sponsor, while Kick has stepped up its involvement and acquired the naming rights to the chassis, which will now be known as the Kick Sauber C44 from next season onwards.
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Speaking about the name change, Alessandro Alunni Bravi - Sauber Motorsport Team Representative, said, “Sauber has always been about innovation, breaking the mould and defying convention. 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 1. With Kick.com, our goal is to make the next step in finding new and innovative ways to get closer to our fans.”
While Sauber has been an old name in F1, Alfa Romeo came onboard in 2019 till the end of this year with Sauber Motorsport becoming the company that operated it. However, with the purchase of the Sauber Group organisation by Audi, Alfa Romeo couldn't be associated with the team anymore. The Sauber name will now be prominent for the next two seasons before the Hinwil-based team switches its identity to Audi in 2026.
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Do note that both Stake and Kick share the same parent ownership, although they operate as independent entities. Stake branding did show up on this year’s car at particular races including Australia, Spain, Belgium and Qatar. The team used a specially designed livery at the Spa event.
Sauber finished ninth in the constructors’ championship in 2023, three positions lower than the 2022 season. The team will continue to field drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu next season with both drivers’ contracts expiring at the end of 2024.
