Gucci Is The Latest Luxury Style Brand To Join Formula One’s Incredible Run For Premium Customers

Gucci, the most powerful brand in the Kering group, will be Alpine’s main Formula One sponsor from 2027, marking the first time a luxury fashion brand has served as an F1 title sponsor. “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. We are grateful to Alpine and the entire Renault Group for sharing this ambition with us,” Francesca Bellettini, president and CEO of Gucci, said in a statement.

Undoubtedly, this is a significant moment not only for Gucci but for fashion as a whole, marking the high point of a trend this 2026 season that represents a dramatic change in how luxury brands connect with motorsports. Indeed, it could be argued that this season will be remembered as the year the leading fashion houses finally took the plunge, joining watch brands (Rolex, IWC, Hublot, and so on) and drinks brands (Heineken, Moët, Johnnie Walker, Hennessy, and so on) in being strongly attracted to the territory long occupied by motoring’s biggest names, such as Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren, Alpine, Audi, and others. Fashion is ready to take control of F1.

Consider this year’s remarkable decision by LVMH to take on the main title sponsorship of the entire F1 grid—a huge step by the company Bernard Arnault built, moving into motorsport when, previously, competitive sailing had been its main interest. And Kering—led by François-Henri Pinault, a rival of Arnault in the art and luxury business—was determined not to be left behind when it came to this opportunity. F1 has always been regarded as one of the best places to reach the wealthiest consumers in the world, the so-called travelling circus known for its extreme glamour and global reach, taking in desirable locations such as Monaco, Las Vegas, Singapore, and 19 other landmark cities—including Kuala Lumpur by sheer happenstance—this year. 

This move was helped along by Drive to Survive, the Netflix show that was a major catalyst in propelling F1 into the stratosphere, driving teams’ worth into the billions and top sponsorships into the hundreds of millions. With an ecosystem of private equity investment, the biggest advertising budgets in the world, and media mastery, it’s no surprise that F1 is seen as the gold standard of premium sponsorship. 

How the Gucci sponsorship came about is a modern story of F1 made manifest. Alpine, a French motoring brand that took over Renault Racing’s F1 seat in 2021, recently attracted investors eager to jump into this exciting space. Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney—co-owners of Wrexham AFC— investing through Maximum Effort Investments alongside co-investor Michael B Jordan, joined Otro Capital and RedBird Capital Partners to acquire a combined 24 per cent stake in Alpine Racing for €200 million, valuing the team at around US$900 million. Alpine going Hollywood gave it a flex few other F1 brands had, and its cachet rose. 

Enter Luca de Meo, previously Renault Group CEO and closely associated with Alpine’s F1 programme before becoming CEO of Kering—making this deal a natural bridge between the two worlds. It was spearheaded on Alpine’s side by executive adviser Flavio Briatore, who brought Benetton to F1 title success in the mid-1990s. “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. 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,” de Meo said in a statement. The deal falls under a new umbrella organisation, Gucci Racing, complete with its own logo and promises of experiential textures and Gucci-driven products. 

It promises to be an exciting addition to F1’s fashion credentials. But one question remains: will Gucci be joining a winning team, one that treats this sponsorship as an investment that lifts Alpine—and Gucci—onto the podium? The race starts in 2027, and while a championship is unlikely, de Meo and Briatore won’t settle for less. 

Gucci | Formula One

Image credits: Jean-François Robert