How Revolut hacked a $45m F1 deal

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HOW A SIDEMEN BINGE LED ME TO AUDI’S NEW F1 SPONSOR

I first heard of Revolut through The Sidemen. Which means I technically learned about global fintech by watching seven British guys argue about who’s the worst at penalty kicks and then eat something that looked like a taxidermied tarantula.

In these videos, the Revolut card would casually appear. Paying for flights, weird snacks, questionable hotels. My thought at the time? Cool, British thing that I can’t use.

Fast-forward to 2025, Revolut’s name is about to be on a Formula 1 car. A full title partnership with Audi’s new F1 team.

Which leaves me with three questions I need answered:

1. When is the right time for a company to spend “buy-your-own-private-island” money on a sports sponsorship?
   
   *The deal value was not disclosed, but is understood to be in the $60-70 million a year range (as reported by Autosport Business)
   

2. How do you get in the room with big teams before you can afford the price of a single tire?
   

3. Who’s pulled this off before, and who’s next?

Timing is Everything

Two years ago, Revolut wasn’t ready for this. Don’t take my word for it. Antoine Le Nel (Revolut’s CMO) said, “In the last two years [we have] been quite product-focused, to explain what Revolut is and how it can help,” he tells Marketing Week. “Now, it’s not only what Revolut does for you, but how it makes you feel.”

They were still in the product phase, which is fine.

Here’s the real checklist that tells you a company’s ready to jump into a major sports sponsorship like this:

Must-Have Product & Scale:

• Your product works at scale. No crashing apps, no “oops, server’s down” moments during peak hours.

• You’re handling millions of customers or transactions, not just a loyal bunch of early adopters. (Revolut: 60 million+ and counting.)

• Your tech and operations are bulletproof enough to handle the chaos that a global sports spotlight brings.

Brand Awareness, But Not Just Anywhere:

• People know your brand enough to react when they see it on the car or hear it at the race.

• Bonus points if that recognition exists in the market you want to dominate next. Revolut’s eye is firmly on Germany, Audi’s backyard.

Clear Market Ambitions:

• You’ve got a defined, big-next-market plan. It’s not just “we want more customers.” It’s “we want this group of people in this region.”

• The sponsorship is a strategic push to win new hearts and wallets.

Long-Term Commitment:

• You’re signing up for a multi-year partnership, not out-of-home (OOH) advertising

• You understand F1 is a marathon with occasional sprints. Audi might not win on day one, but you’re ready for the full ride.

• You have the patience (and budget) to weather the ups, downs, and mid-season drama.

Budget to Make CFOs Cry:

• We’re talking multi-million dollars annually.

• Enough to cover brand exposure, activations, fan experiences, and integration deep into the team’s operations.

• You’ve got the financial muscle and the willpower to spend it in ways that drive real impact.

Bonus points (because no one’s perfect):

• A strong internal team that gets sports sponsorship and activation (you can’t just throw money and then plan and hire for it)

• Flexibility to bring fresh ideas with the rights holder, because cookie-cutter deals are dead.

• Customer base overlaps with the sport’s audience, or at least a clear plan to create that overlap.

Put simply, if you check most of these boxes, the timing is right to jump into a sport like F1. If not, you’ll probably end up as a meme on social media asking, “Why did we think this was a good idea?”

The art of showing up before you’re rich enough to crash the party

You can’t just stroll into F1 with $70 million and say, “I’ll take that car.” That’s how you end up watching from the parking lot with a branded umbrella.

Revolut played it smart. They started smaller: sponsoring Como in the Italian Serie A, then Manchester City’s Women’s team. They were relationship plays, built with the right entertainers, creators. This is where the team can actually learn how to activate a sponsorship, show measurable value, and make sure the people in the room remember you as more than “that fintech who emailed us once.”

If you’re broke-ish but ambitious as a brand:

• Go to the sports biz events. Yes, even the ones where the coffee tastes like printer ink and the sandwiches feel like they were made in 1994.

• Learn the names of the actual decision-makers. They rarely have “CEO” in their title, they’re usually the people in the commercial, partnerships, or activation departments.

• If you can’t give money, give something that’s currency in another way. Tech tools, content capabilities, fan engagement tricks, operational shortcuts.

• Follow up like you’re trying to get a second date, but without the desperation.

If you’re a rights holder or a team, here’s how you make yourself “relationship ready” before brands have big money to spend:

• Build a database of companies that might be big in 3–5 years. Not just the ones that are already loaded. Keep tabs on their growth, funding rounds, and expansion plans.

• Have low-cost, low-commitment entry points ready. Think smaller sponsorship assets, trial activations, or tech integrations that a challenger brand can afford today.

• Invest in people who can actually talk to these companies in their own language. No sending them a 90-page sponsorship deck that looks like it was designed in PowerPoint 2007.

• Show them you’re flexible on creative activations. Challenger brands love experimentation; if you only offer “logo on shirt,” they’ll ghost you.

• Keep in touch without selling hard. Share industry insights, invite them to behind-the-scenes events, and make them feel like they’re already part of your orbit.

People on both sides remember who was there before the champagne and confetti. When the budgets finally blow up, it’s not “cold call season”, it’s “we’ve been talking for years, let’s make it official” season.

3 – Who’s pulled this off before, and who’s next?

Some brands dive in early with a bit of swagger and no fear of looking wild:

• Crypto.com jumped into F1 before most people could explain blockchain without sweating bullets. Brave, bold, and a bit bonkers.

• Red Bull in the early 2000s: “We sell sugar water. Let’s buy two Formula 1 teams.” Because why not?

Others wait until they’ve got their crown firmly on:

• Rolex in tennis: “This sport is classy now. You’re welcome.” And they mean it.

Then there’s the middle ground, where you come in with serious money and serious style. That’s where WhatsApp partnered with Mercedes. Their activations are subtle, smooth, and classy, perfectly blending into the Mercedes vibe.

The fan experiences, content, and integrations were leaving you wanting more. Lego springs into mind as well.

Revolut is lining up to play the same game. A challenger brand with scrappy roots, stepping onto the global F1 stage with a premium, polished approach that speaks to their young, savvy audience, but with the confidence and sophistication Audi demands.

What’s the pattern for spotting these moves?

• A fast-growing category eager for global reach.

• An audience that scales, hello, 18-34-year-olds glued to F1.

• Leadership that’s more pirate ship than corporate yacht.

Who’s next to pull a Revolut?

• Indian fintechs are itching for their global spotlight.

• Electric motorbike brands are buzzing in Southeast Asia.

• Wearable tech startups whose founders suddenly get very chatty about “brand storytelling” during interviews.

And don’t sleep on Bilt Rewards. They’ve already been growing fast in the US, and I could easily see them making a play in sports sponsorship next.