🏎 High Stakes

Stake F1 team in hot water as new title partner draws legal complications

Author

Kyle Dager
February 07, 2024

Good morning! Here we are! The ‘off-season’ has officially ended and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Between Lewis Hamilton’s shocking split, NASCAR teams ending their media rights talks and now Christian Horner being investigated, who knows what headline would have come out next?? It’s about time we get back to the action that happens ON the track!

Parker’s POV

Written by: Parker Kligerman

Back in 2004, the Clash was known as the Bud Shootout, and it took place at Daytona. 6.5 million people watched on TNT, with an estimated 75,000 fans in attendance, and only 19 cars started the race. Jeff Green's Petty Enterprises car withdrew because Richard Petty was honoring a 50-year promise to his mother that Petty Enterprises wouldn’t endorse alcohol.

The racing showcased the classic fourth-generation NASCAR car rule set for super speedway racing: side by side, 8 rows deep, with a couple of cars in the middle. The winner? Dale Jarrett, with an excellent push by Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the final lap to take the lead past Kevin Harvick in the bottom lane. Every car was recognizable because it bore the sponsors and colors we all knew. Without even describing them, and even if you’re only 18 years old right now, I'm confident you know what those cars looked like and which sponsors were on them.

That was NASCAR 20 years ago, at the height of its popularity and die-hard fandom. In contrast, this weekend's Clash took place in a stadium in downtown LA, moved to an earlier day, with only 1.5 million watching on FS1 (compared to the over 3.5 million viewers the last two years on Fox). For most of the cars, you have no idea what sponsor they have, and the crowd in attendance didn't care—well, the crowd that would have shown up on Sunday had the weather not been an issue.

NASCAR is fulfilling an entirely different purpose from the Bud Shootout 20 years ago. Instead of giving more of the same when people couldn’t get enough of NASCAR, the Clash’s new mission is to bring NASCAR to the people who would never, ever go through what it takes to attend a race at a normal track.

Why do they matter? Because they are the same people who will watch NASCAR clips on Instagram, somewhat pay attention, and be able to name a couple of drivers at a party. Most importantly, they will also refer to themselves as fans.

In TV, they call them the “general sports fan,” but I think that is a misnomer. I often say I like golf, but I do not watch golf on TV aside from the Masters. I consume the clips on Instagram, read tweets, and occasionally check in on scores. But when asked, I say I’m a fan. We are clips fans—give it to us in 10-30 second bites.

NASCAR needs these fans, and right now, they are not at Daytona for the Clash. On the podcast, I went as far as to suggest that the next Clash should be in the snow in Aspen or Big Sky, Montana. Go where they would never imagine uttering the word NASCAR.

Make crazy viral clips for all of us clips fans. What do the diehards get out of this? Just maybe, it will ensure that the colors of the cars can be the same each week again. Wouldn’t that be nice?

📈 Trending 📈

High Stakes

Sauber, freshly rebranded as Stake F1 Team, is facing a challenging start to their season with the unveiling of their new car, the C44. The core of the issue lies in their title sponsor, Stake, a crypto casino operator. This sponsorship has put them on a collision course with Swiss regulations 💥🇨🇭, where Stake's operations are illegal without a proper license. This has led to a significant legal quandary, as their prominent branding on Sauber's car and gear is drawing the scrutiny of Swiss authorities. The team's boss, Alunni Bravi, is navigating these turbulent waters by considering changes to the team's name and sponsor branding, saying, “If Stake is banned, we will have an alternative team name.”

The Federal Casino Commission in Switzerland has responded to this controversy by initiating legal proceedings against Sauber, which could result in a substantial fine. Despite these looming challenges, Bravi expresses confidence in their compliance efforts, emphasizing, “We always comply with all applicable laws.” This situation highlights the complexities that arise when sports, international business, and legal regulations intersect. Legal expert Patrick Krauskopf adds weight to the situation, remarking, “we have probably crossed the red line into unauthorized advertising." ❌ As Sauber prepares to race in the upcoming F1 season, they must also gear up for a potentially difficult legal battle, testing their agility both on and off the track. 🏁⚖️

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