A historic partnership

Italian luxury fashion house Gucci announced on Wednesday, May 27, that it will enter the world of Formula One as the title partner of the Alpine racing team starting from the 2027 season. The team, owned by Renault and led by Flavio Briatore, will compete under the new name 'Gucci Racing Alpine Formula One Team' and will race in the brand's colours. Gucci will replace the Swiss company BWT as the team's title partner.

“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.”

The deal represents a significant milestone in the growing convergence between luxury fashion and elite sport. Gucci President and CEO Francesca Bellettini said the move reflects the brand's ambition and the role it wants to play on the global stage. The collaboration introduces Gucci Racing, described as a new business and experiential platform built around the values of performance, precision, discipline, and excellence at the intersection of luxury and sport.

Strategic motivations

Gucci's entry into Formula One comes as the brand seeks to boost its visibility and revive sales after years of decline. Earlier in May, the brand staged a major runway show in New York's Times Square in a bid to grab global attention. The luxury industry is grappling with falling global demand for handbags and dresses, and exclusive events like Formula One racing have emerged as a major new playing field for high-end brands.

“Formula One has evolved far beyond sport, establishing itself as one of the most powerful premium content platforms in the world, reaching over 1.5 billion people each season and inspiring a rapidly expanding, younger, and increasingly female audience.”

Luca de Meo, CEO of Gucci's French parent company Kering, previously served as the chief executive of Renault. Alpine's team is headed by Flavio Briatore, a friend and longtime ally of De Meo. The connection between the two executives is seen as a natural facilitator of the agreement.

The Gucci Racing platform

Gucci Racing will be more than a presence on the starting grid. The platform is designed to unite content, dedicated products, exclusive events, and customer-focused initiatives. It features an exclusive logo with the iconic interlocking G and plans innovative activations including limited-edition products and luxury experiences for selected clients over the coming seasons.

“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.”

The partnership is described by both Gucci and Alpine as an industrial platform destined to evolve over the years, rather than a simple sponsorship agreement. It marks a further step in the increasingly close contamination between fashion and sport, with luxury having already conquered tennis, football, sailing, and even chess in recent years.

Formula One's luxury appeal

The move comes at a time when motorsport is experiencing a new golden age. Formula One has become a global entertainment vehicle capable of attracting an international, high-spending audience. Viewership is growing, sponsors are increasing, and the paddock has become a symbolic meeting place for luxury, technology, and lifestyle.

In 2024, the racing league clinched a multi-year deal with French luxury giant LVMH valued at over $100 million. The financial terms of the Gucci-Alpine deal were not disclosed. For Gucci, the partnership means entering a space that guarantees continuous visibility and direct access to strategic markets such as the United States, the Middle East, and Asia, as well as the possibility of engaging with new generations of consumers without losing exclusivity.

Alpine's current form

The announcement arrives at an auspicious moment for the Enstone-based team, which currently occupies fifth position in the constructors' championship. Young talents Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly have been demonstrating consistent and promising evolution. The contract with BWT, the current title sponsor, will end at the conclusion of the ongoing season.

Renault Group CEO François Provost, who was one of De Meo's closest collaborators for five years, expressed alignment with the vision. The partnership is the result of synergy between Kering, the group that owns Gucci, and the Renault Group, which owns Alpine.