Jun 14, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc (16) during the qualification session at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

The Concerning Trend Of Title Sponsors In Formula One

Originally posted on Stadium Rant | By Stefania Zajdel | Last updated Aug 29, 2025 10:44 AM ET

McLaren announced that they will be partnering with Mastercard and changing the team’s name to the McLaren Mastercard Formula One Team. They were the last team on the grid without a title sponsor. Now, all ten have at least one brand in their name. Is this a good direction for the sport?

What Is A Title Sponsor?

A title sponsor is a company willing to pay to have its brand name within the name of a Formula One team. The special type of promotion costs a pretty penny, but makes the company’s name the centerpiece of the team’s identity. That’s why, since last season, Scuderia Ferrari turned into Scuderia Ferrari HP. In addition to the title change, the infamous blue logo can be seen all over the scarlet car.

A title sponsor becomes a vital part of the team’s identity. Their products are often heavily promoted, and their branding can be seen in most content posted on social media. For all intents and purposes, it should become almost impossible to see the team without also seeing the sponsor.

The Good And Bad Sides Of Title Sponsorship

The main goal of becoming a title sponsor is, of course, promoting your company by forcing people to associate it with the raw power and speed of Formula One. If the brand integrates itself within a team, it can become a part of its identity. Perhaps the best example of this phenomenon is Oracle Red Bull Racing. Oracle is a sponsor, but people who aren’t familiar with the company might not even know it, given how seamlessly it blends in with Red Bull’s identity.

That isn’t always the case. If there is a clash between a team and its sponsor, it may lead to fans resenting the company for using ‘their’ cars to promote their product. That is why many Tifosi soured on HP. They felt like the company’s logo clashed with their beloved scarlet red and ruined the team’s legacy. Will their silent protest hurt HP’s sales? Probably not, but it does show that the sponsorships can bring problems even for those they are supposed to benefit.

Why Is It A Problem?

It’s not hard to understand why teams agree to take title sponsors. Competing in Formula One is an extremely expensive undertaking, so anything that can be monetised is. At the same time, the trend is harmful to the sport itself. It makes the teams seem cheap and not as prestigious as they once were. This applies especially to those who have been a part of Formula One for decades. McLaren Mastercard doesn’t quite hold the same gravity as just McLaren. It’s hard to take teams seriously when it feels like they sold their souls for some additional capital.

Jun 15, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Kick Sauber driver Gabriel Bortoleto (5) during the F1 Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

There are also many more tangible issues that arise with some title sponsors. Perhaps the best example is Stake Kick Sauber, a team whose name includes two extremely controversial and extremely harmful companies. On one hand, Kick, a streaming platform known for allowing more than should ever be put on the internet. On the other, Stake, its parent company, running online casinos and promoting both gambling and sports betting. Both have been involved in many controversies. Should they be promoted to the millions of fans just because they could offer the most money?

End Of My Title Sponsors Rant

Title sponsorships are here to stay; that much is certain, but it’s still painful to see them take the gravity away from the beautiful Formula One. Will it stop at one or two brands per team? Or will there come a day when their names will look like strange sentences?

This article first appeared on Stadium Rant and was syndicated with permission.

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