Since 2016, Libertex has built its global brand through sustained investment in sports sponsorship, with a strong focus on European football. With Playmaker’s support, the brand now took a bold step into Formula 1 as a Global Partner of KICK Sauber F1, through their transition to the Audi F1 Team.
Libertex
2025
Brand sponsorship analysis
Strategy development
Rights identification
Negotiation & procurement
Brand sponsorship integration
Since 2016, Libertex had invested consistently in football sponsorship as a Global Online Trading Partner of James Rodriguez, Valencia, Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich. Now, the brand was ready to take its next step in sport. Formula 1 was experiencing a meteoric rise in global popularity and online trading brands were increasing their presence in the category. Libertex wanted to take advantage and set out to evaluate suitable opportunities within the world’s premier motorsport competition.
Formula 1 popularity is at an all-time high and online trading brands have taken notice. However, with only 10 teams on the grid for the 2025 season (and many already committed to long-term partnerships) available sponsorship opportunities were limited and highly competitive. With this in mind, Playmaker conducted a full analysis of the F1 grid, detailing all team availability for online trading sponsorship and highlighting the most relevant teams in line with the Libertex brand and key markets.
Through this process, KICK Sauber F1 Team emerged as the ideal partner. With the team set to transition into the Audi F1 Team from the 2026 season, the partnership offered Libertex a rare opportunity to align with one of the world’s most iconic automotive brands at the very start of its Formula 1 journey.
As a truly global brand, alignment with the Audi F1 Team would provide Libertex with a powerful platform to reach all priority markets, including its core DACH region, through a blend of global marketing activations leveraging Audi F1 IP and localised initiatives tailored to individual markets. These activations would be amplified across Formula 1’s 24-race calendar, spanning 21 countries and five continents annually. Supported by a comprehensive rights package, including VIP hospitality and on-site race-weekend activations, the partnership would enable Libertex to engage both B2B and B2C audiences, driving brand equity, commercial objectives, and sustainable long-term growth.
Libertex’s debut season as an F1 sponsor began with immediate impact, with Sauber driver Nico Hulkenberg’s first-ever podium finish at the British Grand Prix serving as an on-track highlight. Off the track, Libertex utilised the partnership to deliver exclusive experiences for their client base, including a VIP event hosted aboard a luxury yacht during the prestigious Monaco Grant Prix weekend, with both Sauber drivers in attendance. This momentum marks only the first phase of a long-term strategy. In 2026, Libertex will return to the grid as a partner of the Audi F1 Team, aligning with one of the world’s most iconic automotive brands as it enters Formula 1. As the partnership evolves, Libertex will continue to activate throughout the season, delivering premium experiences that deepen client engagement, expand global reach and support sustained brand growth.
To find out more about Libertex’s partnership with Audi F1 and the online trading sector’s wider investment in sports sponsorship, get in touch with the Playmaker team at patrick.mccolgan@playmaker-sports.com
