If you’ve ever been up close and personal with the current generation of Formula One cars, there’s a defining quality that sets them apart from previous eras.
While the initial shock will likely centre on the sheer size of these modern-day beasts, those who remember the sparsely sponsored cars of yesteryear will also notice how little advertising space is left.
Since Liberty Media’s arrival, teams no longer have to spend considerable time convincing prospective sponsors of Formula One’s commercial value. That part of the pitch is largely taken as read.
Teams have undoubtedly taken advantage of this period of prosperity, including McLaren who count around 55 commercial partners in their current portfolio.
The extra interest has also allowed for a greater focus on the ‘why’ behind a partnership, which has given rise to more eye-catching collaborations. Look at Lego’s activation at the Miami Grand Prix, for instance, as a case study in masterful sports marketing.
Yet, Lego benefits from its status as a partner of Formula One itself – taking over the Miami drivers’ parade would not have been possible otherwise. Team sponsors, on the other hand, face far more competition for attention due to the number of other logos on each car.
Ahead of their entry as a full works team next season, Audi already have a plan in place to navigate the sport’s commercial hurdles.
Creating an entirely new look
Exclusivity is hardly the first word that comes to mind when considering the team’s commercial strategy in its current guise as Sauber or, to give them their full title, Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber.
Sauber are far from the only outfit to have adopted a convoluted name in exchange for greater financial rewards – look at Visa Cash App Racing Bulls – but granting such prominent visibility to a gambling company in present-day Formula One has inevitably invited criticism.
That said, the series has been accused of not setting a strong precedent when it comes to ethically sound partnerships. But with a global fanbase that continues to skew younger, the level of scrutiny is now far greater.
In transitioning to Audi, the Swiss team has an opportunity to reset its commercial strategy – though perhaps not in the way many would expect.
“You can have several approaches to the way you commercialise your Formula One operation,” Jonathan Wheatley, team principal of the Sauber Formula One team, tells BlackBook Motorsport.
“Our approach is to have a clean, clear, crisp outlook so that it’s not covered in sponsor logos from top to bottom. It’s going to be creating an entirely new look in Formula One of premium partners and a clean car.
“I think you’re going to find it set a refreshing change from what you’re seeing in the rest of the sport.”
The current Sauber entry races under the ‘Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber’ moniker, but Audi wants to reset this commercial approach to emphasise premium partners (Image credit: Getty Images)
Audi clearly want to do things differently and that’s been evident in the partnerships they’ve confirmed so far. Only BP, Revolut and the recently announced Adidas have currently signed on the dotted line, underscoring the ‘premium partner’ model Wheatley mentions.
“We want to bring partners on board, we want to work with partners that are true partners, but we also want to create a multi-brand powerhouse,” adds Stefano Battiston, chief commercial officer of Sauber.
“It’s important that the partners can work together, that we can create platforms where we can engage together and where we can engage with our community … because then we become a commercial powerhouse.
“That’s why we are selective and that’s why we want to have the right partners on board on-track [and] off-track on the journey to achieve our targets.”
Taking on the titans
A counterargument to Audi’s commercial strategy is that it is struggling to attract new partners and the team, therefore, has sought to frame its approach as deliberately selective.
However, announcing Revolut, which is valued at US$45 billion, as the team’s title partner dispelled any doubts over Audi’s commercial appeal. Moreover, the partnership with the financial technology firm underlines exactly what Wheatley and Battiston want from a commercial partner – this is a journey in which both sides need to pull their weight.
“I think in the case of Audi the fit was very obvious,” says Antoine Le Nel, chief growth and marketing officer of Revolut.
“They are the newcomers in this sport with very high ambition. Like Revolut, we have very high ambition, and they’re here to compete against very established teams, like the Ferraris, McLarens of the world and so on, who have been here for decades, and they’re here to change this. So I think for us it was a great fit from a narrative perspective.”
Le Nel also states that Revolut needs to be “selective” with its partnerships across the wider world of sport. This echoes Audi’s commercial strategy and Wheatley believes that there are clear synergies between the two approaches.
“Both as the Audi Formula One project and also Revolut, we’re up against the titans at the top of the business,” he explains. “In our case, it’s Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull, McLaren. We have to maintain momentum and smash through the ceiling of established teams and this is exactly where Revolut are at.”
“Of course [other Formula One teams approached us],” adds Le Nel. “Revolut is a very appealing brand at the moment.
“Even beyond F1 there are a lot of partners that want to work with us, and I think that’s the responsibility we have as a brand to carefully select who we are working with.”
A “transformed” team after months of disruption
While Audi’s distinctive commercial strategy deserves some recognition, the behind-the-scenes turbulence to get to this point should not be overlooked.
When the project was first announced almost three years ago, Andreas Seidl was quickly poached from rivals McLaren to lead Audi into their new era as chief executive of the team. Oliver Hofmann also played a pivotal role, acting as the go-between in the Sauber and Audi relationship as chairman of the boards of directors.
But both key figures exited the project in July 2024 and former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto was installed as the new figurehead.
At the time, Audi chief executive Gernot Döllner hinted at operational inefficiencies in the structure. The reshuffle signalled Audi’s willingness to take bold risks in pursuit of their ambitions.
After replacing Andreas Seidl in July 2024, Mattia Binotto was elevated to head of the Audi F1 Project in May 2025 (Image credit: Getty Images)
“The team has transformed since April when I joined [but] they were already on that journey,” reflects Wheatley.
“What I saw was a team which has been under invested for a very, very long time making an incredible effort in terms of our presentation on track, but also the professionalism that they’re trying to bring in.
“We’re on a long journey [and] I’ve been encouraged as we change some of the communications structures to something I think would adapt well to the team. People now understand better what their role is and how they come to the decision-making process, rather than it being isolated.”
This culture of clear accountability has transformed the team’s on-track fortunes, going from scoring only four points across the entire 2024 campaign to 55 points just over halfway through this season – a run that also delivered a landmark first podium for veteran Nico Hülkenberg.
Just as Audi want concise communication within their internal channels, they seek clear messaging in their commercial output – and a selective approach to partnerships is helping the team achieve that goal.
Audi will be hoping next year is the first of many successful campaigns for the famous German brand in Formula One. And while Wheatley has set a deliberately cautious long-term target of “winning world championships at the end of the century,” there is plenty to be optimistic about as the team prepares for its entry into the championship.
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