Sauber is standing on its own two feet again after the break with Alfa Romeo's sponsorship crowns. And that can cause them problems in several places in the world.
On Monday evening, Sauber presented the Formula 1 car they will drive the 2024 season with. But even before the first lob is even short, the Swiss team may have done themselves a disservice.
This is due to the new main sponsor, the betting company Stake. Not only is the sponsorship, according to the Swiss media SRF, on the brink of the country's legislation.
Betting advertisements are strictly prohibited – downright illegal – in several countries. In Switzerland alone, Stake is not licensed to do business.
Therefore, there may be a breach of the law when the company logo appears on the Formula 1 team's platforms. Both the website and social media.
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– In this case, the brands Stake and Sauber are so closely linked that Stake will be strongly imprinted in the minds of the viewers, and that the red line has probably been crossed in relation to unauthorized advertising, says legal expert Patrick Krauskopf to SRF .
Sauber itself says that it will respect applicable legislation in 'all applicable laws' – including those in Sauber's home country.
But it is not only in Switzerland that Stake does not have a license to be. The Formula 1 team must also do without the sponsor name in countries such as Australia, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain.
On the other hand, it is not the first time that a Formula 1 team has sponsorships on the brink of the law. When Ferrari's partnership with cigarette maker Marlboro ran afoul of the law, the name disappeared from the cars. But the logo was still there and unmistakable.
