The Enstone-based squad announced it will race as the Gucci Racing Alpine Formula 1 Team from next season, bringing an end to water treatment company BWT’s five-year stint as Alpine’s title partner.
The deal marks Gucci’s first direct involvement in F1, alongside launching “Gucci Racing” as a new platform centred around what it says will bring “performance, precision, discipline and excellence” across luxury and sport.
Alpine confirmed the team will compete in “Gucci colours”, expected to be the brand’s famous black and gold, from 2027, with the Italian fashion house set to play a major role in the team’s branding and visual identity moving forward.
It is not the first time the Enstone team has been linked with fashion, with the squad competing as Benetton between 1986 and 2001 under the ownership of the iconic Italian clothing brand.
While financial details were not disclosed, several reports estimate the agreement is worth roughly $50-60 million USD ($70-$84 million AUD) per season, making it one of the largest title sponsorship deals currently in the sport.
Gucci CEO Francesca Bellettini said F1’s expanding global reach made Alpine the ideal partner for the brand’s ambitions.
“This partnership with Alpine Formula 1 Team writes a new chapter,” Bellettini said.
“That reflects our ambition for the brand and the role we want Gucci to play on this stage.
“Formula 1 represents today a unique convergence of performance, culture, and global reach, and Alpine Formula 1 Team is the right partner to bring this vision to life.
“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 was spearheaded by Alpine executive advisor Flavio Briatore, who famously led the team when it was known as Benetton to F1 world titles during the 1990s before later overseeing Renault during its championship-winning era in the 2000s.
“Partnering with a prestigious brand of Gucci’s calibre in Formula 1 as title partner of Alpine Formula 1 Team is something I am incredibly proud of,” Briatore said.
“Not only that, but I am also excited about the possibilities the partnership with Gucci brings and the great things we can achieve together at a global level.
“The Enstone Team has a history of doing things differently to others and has previously shown that fashion can finish first in Formula 1.”
The agreement also strengthens ties between Alpine and Gucci parent company Kering, now led by former Renault CEO Luca de Meo.
Renault Group CEO François Provost described F1 as a key pillar in Alpine’s long-term global strategy.
“Formula 1 is one of the most dynamic and attractive platforms in global sport,” Provost said.
“For Renault Group, as a historic Formula 1 manufacturer, it is a powerful asset to support Alpine’s ambition: building awareness, desirability and influence across markets, while reaching new audiences and young generations.”
The partnership is expected to extend well beyond trackside branding, with plans for bespoke team apparel, fashion products and exclusive experiences tied to Gucci’s arrival in F1.
So far in 2026, Alpine has enjoyed its most successful start to a season under the Alpine name, scoring 35 points in the opening five races to sit fifth in the constructors’ championship.
