Alpine will race from 2027 with a striking new title sponsor. The French team announced on Wednesday that luxury brand Gucci will become the new main sponsor, with the team being known as Gucci Racing Alpine from next year. This prestigious Italian fashion house takes over from BWT, whose current agreement expires this year. The team will also say goodbye to the distinctive blue-pink livery.
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The deal marks a remarkable step for both Formula 1 and the fashion world. As part of the collaboration, the Italian brand is also launching Gucci Racing, described as ‘a new business and experience platform, built around the values of performance, precision, discipline, and excellence at the intersection of luxury and sport.’ The deal came about because former Renault CEO Luca de Meo is now active as a top executive within Kering, Gucci’s parent company.
Gucci jacket
According to an official press release, the new partnership also means a visual break with Alpine’s current look. The Enstone team has raced for several years with the blue-pink colors of main sponsor BWT, but from 2027 will be dressed in a Gucci jacket. “This collaboration with Alpine opens a new chapter: Gucci becomes the first luxury fashion house to be a title sponsor in Formula 1,” said Francesca Bellettini, Chairwoman and CEO of Gucci. “This reflects our ambition for the brand and the role we want Gucci to play on this stage. Formula 1 today represents a unique convergence of performance, culture, and global reach, and Alpine is the right partner to realize this vision.”
According to Bellettini, the collaboration goes far beyond just visibility on the cars. “Gucci Racing is more than just presence on the grid: it is an expression of who we are and where we want to take the brand. And there is much more to come. We are grateful to Alpine and the entire Renault Group for sharing this ambition with us.”
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Momentum
“I am incredibly proud of the collaboration with a prestigious brand like Gucci,” added Alpine senior advisor Flavio Briatore. “I am also excited about the opportunities this partnership offers and the great things we can achieve together. The Enstone team is known for doing things differently than the rest and has already proven that fashion can play an important role in Formula 1. With improved performance on the track and the highest points total ever at the start of a season, this new collaboration with Gucci demonstrates the team’s growing momentum.”
With this agreement, Alpine follows the trend of new major title sponsorship deals in Formula 1. Think of Mastercard and McLaren, HP and Ferrari, and Oracle and Red Bull. Moreover, clothing brands are playing an increasingly prominent role in the premier class. Consider the collaborations between Tommy Hilfiger and Cadillac, Hugo Boss and Racing Bulls, and Adidas with both Mercedes and Audi. Incidentally, this is not the first time Alpine represents a major fashion house. In the 1990s, the team was still known as Benetton and won multiple titles under the leadership of the same Flavio Briatore.
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