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<\/p>\nIf you\u2019ve ever been up close and personal with the current generation of Formula One cars, there\u2019s a defining quality that sets them apart from previous eras.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Since Liberty Media\u2019s arrival, teams no longer have to spend considerable time convincing prospective sponsors of Formula One\u2019s commercial value. That part of the pitch is largely taken as read.<\/p>\n
Teams have undoubtedly taken advantage of this period of prosperity, including McLaren who count around 55 commercial partners in their current portfolio.<\/p>\n
The extra interest has also allowed for a greater focus on the \u2018why\u2019 behind a partnership, which has given rise to more eye-catching collaborations. Look at Lego\u2019s activation at the Miami Grand Prix, for instance, as a case study in masterful sports marketing.<\/p>\n
Yet, Lego benefits from its status as a partner of Formula One itself \u2013 taking over the Miami drivers\u2019 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.<\/p>\n
Ahead of their entry as a full works team next season, Audi already have a plan in place to navigate the sport\u2019s commercial hurdles.<\/p>\n
Creating an entirely new look<\/p>\n
Exclusivity is hardly the first word that comes to mind when considering the team\u2019s commercial strategy in its current guise as Sauber or, to give them their full title, Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber.<\/p>\n
Sauber are far from the only outfit to have adopted a convoluted name in exchange for greater financial rewards \u2013 look at Visa Cash App Racing Bulls \u2013 but granting such prominent visibility to a gambling company in present-day Formula One has inevitably invited criticism.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
In transitioning to Audi, the Swiss team has an opportunity to reset its commercial strategy \u2013 though perhaps not in the way many would expect.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can have several approaches to the way you commercialise your Formula One operation,\u201d Jonathan Wheatley, team principal of the Sauber Formula One team, tells BlackBook Motorsport.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur approach is to have a clean, clear, crisp outlook so that it\u2019s not covered in sponsor logos from top to bottom. It\u2019s going to be creating an entirely new look in Formula One of premium partners and a clean car.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think you\u2019re going to find it set a refreshing change from what you\u2019re seeing in the rest of the sport.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The current Sauber entry races under the \u2018Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber\u2019 moniker, but Audi wants to reset this commercial approach to emphasise premium partners (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Audi clearly want to do things differently and that\u2019s been evident in the partnerships they\u2019ve confirmed so far. Only BP, Revolut and the recently announced Adidas have currently signed on the dotted line, underscoring the \u2018premium partner\u2019 model Wheatley mentions.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe 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,\u201d adds Stefano Battiston, chief commercial officer of Sauber.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s 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 \u2026 because then we become a commercial powerhouse.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s why we are selective and that\u2019s why we want to have the right partners on board on-track [and] off-track on the journey to achieve our targets.\u201d<\/p>\n
Taking on the titans<\/p>\n
A counterargument to Audi\u2019s commercial strategy is that it is struggling to attract new partners and the team, therefore, has sought to frame its approach as deliberately selective.<\/p>\n
However, announcing Revolut<\/a>, which is valued at US$45 billion, as the team\u2019s title partner dispelled any doubts over Audi\u2019s commercial appeal. Moreover, the partnership with the financial technology firm underlines exactly what Wheatley and Battiston want from a commercial partner \u2013 this is a journey in which both sides need to pull their weight.<\/p>\n \u201cI think in the case of Audi the fit was very obvious,\u201d says Antoine Le Nel, chief growth and marketing officer of Revolut.<\/p>\n \u201cThey are the newcomers in this sport with very high ambition. Like Revolut, we have very high ambition, and they\u2019re 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\u2019re here to change this. So I think for us it was a great fit from a narrative perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n Le Nel also states that Revolut needs to be \u201cselective\u201d with its partnerships across the wider world of sport. This echoes Audi\u2019s commercial strategy and Wheatley believes that there are clear synergies between the two approaches.<\/p>\n \u201cBoth as the Audi Formula One project and also Revolut, we\u2019re up against the titans at the top of the business,\u201d he explains. \u201cIn our case, it\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course [other Formula One teams approached us],\u201d adds Le Nel. \u201cRevolut is a very appealing brand at the moment.<\/p>\n \u201cEven beyond F1 there are a lot of partners that want to work with us, and I think that\u2019s the responsibility we have as a brand to carefully select who we are working with.\u201d<\/p>\n A \u201ctransformed\u201d team after months of disruption<\/p>\n While Audi\u2019s distinctive commercial strategy deserves some recognition, the behind-the-scenes turbulence to get to this point should not be overlooked.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n But both key figures exited the project in July 2024 and former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto was installed as the new figurehead.<\/p>\n
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