Sauber is undergoing a significant rebrand for the 2024 season, and their next steps are set to make waves in F1 news headlines.
The Swiss-based outfit’s performances have largely been underwhelming this year. Despite an impressive start to the latest regulation changes in 2022, the team has steadily regressed.
Although Audi’s arrival is expected to bolster the team’s potential, the German manufacturer will not make its debut until 2026.
In the interim, Sauber has agreed to a two-year deal with Kick and Stake. They will act as main sponsors for the Hinwil-based team, bridging the financial gap left by Alfa Romeo’s departure. How this impacts performance remains to be seen.
Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu have described their first impressions of next season’s car as aggressive. Then again, these comments cannot looked at too heavily.
There is no guarantee that a radical design will reverse the team’s current trajectory. That aside, F1 drivers are almost universally possible during the off-season. After all, a pessimistic outlook during the winter break would negatively impact morale at the factory.
Sauber already making waves in F1 news
Focusing specifically on Kick’s influence, their imprint on Sauber is slowly being revealed. Almost immediately, a change in their social media approach is evident – with the team leaning into the recent talk surrounding their recent name change.
Their official name on the 2024 entry list, “Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber”, caused plenty of controversy on social media. However, Sauber’s statements indicate they will announce an even longer – potentially more surprising – name in January.
In addition to this, a change in livery is expected. A combination of black and red marked Alfa Romeo’s livery in 2023 as they bid farewell to Sauber and – for the time being – Formula 1.
For the upcoming 2024 campaign, a different colour scheme is expected. This is fairly routine when a new title sponsor arrives. Some F1 news outlets hypothesise a green livery (consistent with Kick’s lime-green logo) to make its debut.
