£470m Formula 1 team could now change their name heading into next season

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The identity of a Formula 1 team is not only important from a brand awareness point of view but can also be incredibly lucrative.

Ferrari are an iconic brand that’s arguably bigger than Formula 1 itself, while Red Bull have gained a huge amount from initially sponsoring and now running their own team.

So much so that their second brand with the less-than-catchy Visa Cash App RB moniker, also earns them a lot of cash as well. They also help Red Bull develop their up-and-coming drivers, which is particularly pertinent with Liam Lawson set to replace Daniel Ricciardo for the rest of the season.

Speaking on the Pit Pass Podcast, journalist Julianne Cerasoli was in the paddock at the Singapore Grand Prix and heard rumours about another team considering a change in identity.

Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber considering changing their name ahead of the 2025 F1 season

Looking down the Constructors’ Championship table, you have to read all the way to the very bottom to see Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber.

Typically known as just Sauber due to the historic routes that team has in the sport since their debut in 1993, they’ve had several different names in the last 30 years.

Initially partnered with Mercedes-Benz, Sauber were the original Red Bull liveried team on the grid with the likes of Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Kimi Raikkonen and Jacques Villeneuve all driving their iconic navy and yellow cars.

Red Bull then purchased Jaguar to start their own team and Sauber became BMW’s factory team, with Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica their most successful drivers, while also handing an F1 debut to four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel.

Sauber became an independent team again in 2010 before their partnership with Alfa Romeo start in 2019, but this season presented them with their most unusual name to date.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber from team principal to Audi future

Much has been made of being called Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber but it’s only a temporary measure before the team officially becomes Audi in 2026.

However, next year could see one of alteration before the German works team take full control that might make a difference in several countries in particular.

Sauber could be set for one last name change before Audi takeover

Reacting to news she had heard from the £470m-valued F1 team, Cerasoli said: “There are still a lot of uncertainties about that team with new faces arriving at every race.

“I heard that it’s even possible that Stake is not staying maybe only Kick will stay. It’s part of the same company, but we might have changes in the livery, even in the name, whatever name we call that team before, it’s finally going to be Audi.”

Due to gambling laws in several countries Formula 1 races in, Sauber have already been forced to drop the Stake branding on their cars at several Grand Prix.

These include the races in Belgium, Australia, Spain and Qatar, where any mention of Stake was replaced with Kick.

Mattia Binotto has bigger issues to deal with at Sauber aside from a potential name change

Audi placed Mattia Binotto in charge of their F1 project after parting ways with Andreas Seidl and although the monetary value of a title sponsor is important, scoring points is even more essential.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Sauber and Audi F1 chief Mattia Binotto

Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu aren’t slow drivers, but the car simply can’t compete this year and they look set to finish the season firmly nailed to the bottom of the team standings.

Audi are one of the most decorated brands in motor racing and entering Formula 1 as the worst team on the grid is not a situation they want to have to deal with.

Aside from signing a second driver for next year, they also need to make rapid improvements to their car, but it’s hard to see where that performance comes from at this stage.