The 2025 Dutch Grand Prix will bring an important change: the Stake F1 Team will be required to race under a different name due to strict Dutch regulations on gambling-related advertising. Officially registered as Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber, the Swiss-based team will have to compete without displaying the brand of its main title sponsor, the online betting operator Stake, which does not comply with local laws.
The issue stems from new regulations introduced last year in the Netherlands, aimed at limiting the promotion of online gambling platforms. Specifically, the law bans any form of sponsorship during sporting events and on athletes’ uniforms, directly affecting teams in high-profile competitions like Formula 1.
As a result, the Hinwil-based team will be obliged to replace the Stake branding with an alternative brand, most likely Kick, which is already visible in other contexts. Kick, an online streaming platform, will take the prominent position on the cars for the Zandvoort race weekend.
Not the first time for Sauber
This is not a new situation for the Swiss team. During the previous Dutch Grand Prix, the Dutch gambling authority requested that the team not display the Stake logo, although the team chose to retain the name for that event.
In the 2025 season, however, the name change has already occurred in Belgium, where Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto competed with a livery without the Stake branding to comply with similar local regulations.
The obligation to modify the team name and livery will not affect on-track performance, but it highlights the challenges teams face when marketing commitments clash with local laws.
The Stake F1 case at the Dutch Grand Prix underscores how gambling-related sponsorships are increasingly under scrutiny in various markets. For the Hinwil squad, currently fighting to climb the championship standings, this is primarily a temporary branding adjustment, but it reignites discussions about the future of sponsorships in Formula 1 and the delicate balance between commercial partnerships and regulatory compliance.
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