Gucci confirmed as Alpine’s new title partner from the 2027 F1 season

Credit: Alpine F1 Team

Formula One’s growing relationship with luxury fashion has reached another major turning point, with Alpine officially confirming Gucci as the team’s new title partner from the 2026 Formula One season. The agreement will bring an end to BWT’s five-year tenure with the Enstone-based squad and marks one of the most commercially significant branding shifts currently seen on the grid. 

The team will officially compete under the name of Gucci Racing Alpine Formula One Team from 2027. The announcement confirms weeks of speculation linking the Italian fashion house to Alpine following reports that BWT’s title sponsorship deal would not continue beyond 2026. 

For Formula One, the move represents another clear sign of the sport’s evolving identity. Once dominated primarily by automotive and energy sponsors, F2 is now increasingly attracting global luxury brands eager to capitalise on the championship’s explosive worldwide growth - particularly across younger and fashion-driven audiences. 

Gucci’s arrival follows Formula One’s expanding relationship with luxury conglomerates, including LVMH's increasing involvement in the sport and long-standing partnership involving brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Rolex, and Hugo Boss. 

Francesca Bellettini, President and Chief Executive Officer of Gucci, spoke on the announcement, saying: 

“This partnership with Alpine Formula One Team writes a new chapter: Gucci becomes the first luxury fashion house to serve as Title Partner in Formula One. 

“That reflects our ambition for the brand and the role we want Gucci to play on this stage. Formula One represents today a unique convergence of performance, culture, and global reach, and Alpine Formula One 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. We are grateful to Alpine and the entire Renault Group for sharing this ambition with us.” 

A massive visual shift for Alpine 

Beyond the commercial significance, the partnership is expected to completely redefine Alpine's visual identity.

Since 2022, BWT's involvement has defined the team’s branding through its distinctive pink livery accents. But with Gucci entering as title partner, a major redesign is now expected ahead of 2027.

“Partnering with a prestigious brand of Gucci's calibre in Formula One as title partner of Alpine Formula One Team is something I am incredibly proud of,” said Alpine team boss Flavio Briatore.

“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 One.

“With the improved performance on track, and Alpine having its best-ever points total to start a season, this new collaboration with Gucci shows the growing momentum behind the team. I would like to thank Luca [de Meo] and Francesca [Bellettini] for their trust and dedication in the project and for helping make this partnership come to life.” 

Industry speculation already points toward Gucci’s iconic green-and-red striping influencing the future Alpine colour scheme, potentially creating one of the most visually recognisable liveries on the Formula One grid.

The move also aligns closely with Alpine executive advisor Flavio Briatore’s increasingly luxury-focused commercial direction for the team.

Pierre Gasly already maintains ambassador relationships with fashion brands including Givenchy and Lacoste, while Alpine itself has continued repositioning toward a more premium global image following Renault’s strategic restructuring of the brand.

The Luca de Meo Connection

One of the most fascinating elements behind the deal involves former Renault CEO Luca de Meo.

Multiple reports suggest de Meo’s recent appointment within Gucci’s parent company, Kering, played a significant role in facilitating discussions between the two parties.

De Meo was instrumental in Alpine’s modern Formula One transformation during his time at Renault and also played a major role in bringing Flavio Briatore back into the team’s leadership structure in 2024.

That existing relationship appears to have helped open the door for what could become one of Formula One’s most commercially valuable partnerships outside the sport’s traditional automotive sphere.

Some estimates suggest the deal could be worth between €30 million and €60 million annually for Alpine.

“Formula One has evolved far beyond sport to become one of the world's most powerful premium content platforms, reaching over 1.5 billion people each season and inspiring a rapidly expanding, younger and increasingly female audience.

"As a space of creativity, pursuit of excellence and human achievement, we see it as a unique platform for a luxury brand to push boundaries, spark meaningful connections and build long-term value and brand desirability, while delivering measurable and lasting impact,” de Meo mentioned, speaking on the upcoming partnership with Alpine’s Formula One team.  

A critical moment for Alpine

The timing of the announcement is particularly significant for Alpine. The team enters a new era in 2026 after officially abandoning Renault power units in favour of Mercedes customer engines and gearboxes — a dramatic structural shift designed to improve competitiveness following several disappointing seasons.

Commercially, Gucci’s arrival provides Alpine with enormous global visibility at a moment when the team is attempting to redefine itself both competitively and culturally.

And in many ways, the partnership feels symbolic of Formula One’s broader transformation. Modern F1 is no longer simply motorsport. It is fashion, entertainment, celebrity culture, luxury branding, and global lifestyle marketing combined into one rapidly expanding platform. Now, one of the world’s biggest luxury brands is officially becoming part of it.