New F1 team sponsor mocks Ferrari with savage putdown

Fred Vasseur, Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Monza, Italy, 2025 — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

New F1 team sponsor mocks Ferrari with savage putdown

To be fair...Ferrari had this one coming

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Thursday 15 January 2026 14:57

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Ferrari's F1 design has been criticised by one of their rival's new sponsors, and honestly we can kind of see where they are coming from.

While Ferrari have experimented with different shades over the years, red paint remains in high demand at Maranello with the team maintaining the 'rosso corsa' look throughout their 75 year history in F1 - albeit on rare occasions where they have raced in white or blue.

Ferrari red is integral to their brand identity, but Revolut, Audi's title sponsor, has delivered a savage takedown over their recent car designs.

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Ahead of their debut season in F1, Revolut's global chief growth and marketing officer Antoine Le Nel took part in an interview with Business of Sport and attacked Ferrari's partnership with HP.

The technology company were announced as Ferrari's title partner in 2024 on a multi-year deal, with the team now officially known as Scuderia Ferrari HP, allowing the HP logo to inject some blue into their designs from time-to-time.

Le Nel compared the Audi brand to Ferrari, and couldn't resist a savage dig at those in the Scuderia's design department.

"F1 is a big commitment, it's not just putting a sticker on a car," he explained.

"The Audi and Revolut brand identity, it felt very natural. If you look at the Audi brand it's premium but relatable. Ferrari is very premium. Aston Martin is very premium. But can you actually relate to Ferrari? While Audi, it's an accessible luxury.

"We are very committed to design, it needs to fit. No offense, what Ferrari and HP have done to their cars is not good from a design perspective. How can you put blue on a red car?"

Who are Audi's F1 title partner Revolut?

In July 2025, Audi confirmed that global financial technology company Revolut would act as their title partner from the 2026 season onwards.

Far from being just a name on the car, Revolut and Audi enter a strategic partnership which, according to team principal Jonathan Wheatley, offers the team 'digital-first solutions' that will 'power key areas' of their operations.

Revolut Business will also be integrated into Audi's financial operations, which means fans will benefit from Revolut powering 'seamless checkout solutions' for team merchandise.

More than just brand exposure, companies sometimes team up with F1 teams to poach their technological expertise. For example, Toyota Gazoo Racing will be Haas' title partner in 2026 and helped the team acquire their first personal simulator at the team's UK base in Banbury.

Alternatively, Aston Martin's partnership with Aramco sees the oil and gas company provide the F1 team with advanced fuels, which will be 100 per cent sustainable from the 2026 season.

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