Fashion Takes the Grid

Hold onto your champagne flutes, because Formula One just got a serious makeover. Italian luxury giant Gucci is officially stepping into the cockpit, becoming the title sponsor and partner for the Alpine F1 team starting in the 2027 season. This isn’t just another sponsorship deal; it’s a historic first. Gucci becomes the very first luxury fashion house to take on the role of a title sponsor in the sport’s prestigious grid, replacing the Austrian water treatment firm BWT, who held the reins since 2022.

From next season, the team will roar around the track as Gucci Racing. Steering the ship as special advisor is the legendary Flavio Briatore, a man who knows how to mix drama with speed. The official team name will be the Gucci Racing Alpine Formula One Team, and the cars are shedding their old skin. Say goodbye to BWT’s blue-and-pink livery. Hello to Gucci’s signature palette: black, gold, red, and green. The factory in Enstone has already proven that high fashion and high-octane sport can coexist, and this partnership aims to fuse luxury with the precision and discipline of motorsport.

The Business Behind the Bling

This isn’t a random collision of worlds. The deal has deep roots in corporate maneuvering. Luca de Meo, who successfully led Renault and brought the Alpine brand into F1, moved to the Kering group—the owner of Gucci—last year. By connecting these dots, Alpine secures colossal financial firepower to challenge the top teams, while Gucci gains unprecedented global prestige on the world’s most watched sporting stage.

The influx of high luxury into F1 is a growing trend. After LVMH became a global partner, and brands like Tommy Hilfiger and Hugo Boss partnered with Cadillac and Aston Martin respectively, Gucci is now setting a new standard. This isn’t just about slapping a logo on a car; it’s about cultural dominance.

Alpine’s Resurgence in 2026

Timing is everything. Alpine is currently living a comeback story in the 2026 season. After a brutal 2025 campaign, the team, now running Mercedes engines, is finding its rhythm. Drivers Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto sit 8th and 11th in the standings, while Alpine claims a solid 5th place in the constructors’ championship. With 35 points scored in just the first five races of the season, they’ve already crushed their entire 2025 tally of 22 points. The Gucci era begins on a high note.