Gucci joins F1 grid as new Alpine title partner

Luxury brand Gucci is set to join the Formula 1 grid as the new title partner of Alpine. 

Gucci will replace BWT as the title partner of the Alpine F1 team from 2027, with early imagery teasing an elegant black livery, with a red and green stripe on either side of the gold interlocked G logo, although it is understood the Alpine is keen to retain some blue. 

It marks the first time a luxury fashion house has held this capacity with a team, with the outfit set to race as 'Gucci Racing Alpine Formula One Team'.

While figures have not been announced, it has been estimated that the multi-year deal could be in the value of $50-60 million per year. 

“This partnership with Alpine Formula One Team writes a new chapter: Gucci becomes the first luxury fashion house to serve as Title Partner in Formula One," said Francesca Bellettini, president and chief executive officer of Gucci.

"That reflects our ambition for the brand and the role we want Gucci to play on this stage. Formula One represents today a unique convergence of performance, culture, and global reach, and Alpine Formula One Team is the right partner to bring this vision to life. Gucci Racing is more than a 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."

This is not the first time the Enstone-based team has raced alongside a fashion house, however, with the team running as Benetton previously, a name under which it won multiple world titles with Michael Schumacher. 

A key player in the deal was ex-Renault CEO Luca de Meo, who now acts as the CEO of the Kering parent company, of which Gucci is a part. 

“Formula One has evolved far beyond sport to become one of the world's most powerful premium content platforms, reaching over 1.5 billion people each season and inspiring a rapidly expanding, younger and increasingly female audience," said de Meo. 

"As a space of creativity, pursuit of excellence and human achievement, we see it as a unique platform for a luxury brand to push boundaries, spark meaningful connections and build long-term value and brand desirability, while delivering measurable and lasting impact.”

Executive advisor of the Alpine F1 team, and former Benetton team principal, Flavio Briatore, added: “Partnering with a prestigious brand of Gucci's calibre in Formula One as title partner of Alpine Formula One Team is something I am incredibly proud of. 

"Not only that, but I am also excited about the possibilities the partnership with Gucci brings and the great things we can achieve together at a global level. 

"The Enstone Team has a history of doing things differently to others and has previously shown that fashion can finish first in Formula One. With the improved performance on track, and Alpine having its best-ever points total to start a season, this new collaboration with Gucci shows the growing momentum behind the team."