10 times crypto firms partnered with Formula 1 teams for ads, branding and tokens

With the fourth season of Netflix's racing docu-series 'Formula 1: Drive to Survive' upon us, racing fans worldwide are once again excited to get a behind-the-scenes look at the dramatic and exhilarating 2021 World Championship.

With Red Bull Racing Honda star Max Verstappen clinching the 2021 FIA Formula One World Championship Drivers' Championship on the last lap of the last race of the season, the fourth season of 'Formula 1: Drive to Survive' has been highly anticipated.

While watching the docu-series (or the races from the previous and upcoming Formula 1 season), fans may notice several brand logos of crypto companies on the liveries and merchandise of F1 cars and their teams.

In fact, over the last two years, there has been a rising trend of several global crypto firms investing heavily in advertising in Formula 1.

Here are some of the top collaborations between crypto companies and Formula 1 teams:

Red Bull and Bybit

Oracle Red Bull Racing recently signed a multi-year deal (reportedly worth $150 million over three years) with crypto exchange Bybit, with the racing team claiming the deal is the largest crypto partnership in international sport so far.

From the 2022 season onwards, Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez will sport the Bybit logo on the front wing of their Oracle Red Bull Racing cars.

Red Bull and Tezos

Last year, open source blockchain firm Tezos signed a multi-year deal with Red Bull to launch the team's first NFTs on its blockchain. Further, the Tezos logo is advertised on the racing team's cars and helmets.

McLaren and Tezos

McLaren - featuring the driver lineup of Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris - signed a deal last year with Tezos to build an NFT platform for fans of the racing team. The deal also covers McLaren's IndyCar and Esports teams.

The Tezos logo is featured on the livery of the papaya-orange McLaren F1 car.

Mercedes and FTX

FTX, a leading global crypto exchange, is the first ever crypto partner for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team, which has won eight consecutive Formula One World Constructors' Championships.

The FTX logo is featured prominently on the Mercedes F1 cars of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, and also on driver equipment, fleet of trucks, partner displays, etc.

Scuderia Ferrari and Velas

Iconic Formula 1 racing team Scuderia Ferrari, featuring the driver lineup of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, recently partnered with layer one blockchain network Velas to launch exclusive digital products and experiences for the racing team's fans.

Velas is also sponsoring Ferrari's Esports series. However, no specific announcements have been made about the final products that will be built through the partnership.

BWT Alpine and Binance

Binance - the world's largest crypto exchange - and the BWT Alpine F1 Team have partnered to launch ALPINE tokens, enabling holders to collect rare NFTs, participate in exclusive voting polls, gain access to exclusive events and brand experiences, and more.

Alpha Tauri and Fantom

Scuderia Alpha Tauri, the sister team of Oracle Red Bull Racing, has partnered with smart contract-enabled blockhain platform Fantom to feature its logo on the halo of the racing team's cars, driven by Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda.

Gasly is also a brand ambassador for Fantom, displaying the logo on his cap throughout the 2021 season.

Alfa Romeo and Vauld

The Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN, featuring the driver lineup of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, has partnered with Vauld to display the crypto lending platform's branding in a prominent position on the front wing of the team's cars, as well as on other team assets.

Aston Martin Cognizant, Alfa Romeo and Chiliz, Socios.com

The Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team, featuring the driver lineup of four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll, as well as Alfa Romeo, have partnered with Chiliz - a blockchain provider - to launch fans tokens on Socios.com.

These tokens give fans of these racing teams access to voting rights in polls, VIP rewards, exclusive promos, chat forums, games, etc.

Formula 1 and Crypto.com

Formula 1 and Crypto.com have worked together for the last few stars on branding, ads and community zones for racing fans to experience the crypto platform's features and engage with the brand.

Crypto.com also has had trackside presence (through physical banner ads) across several races in Formula 1.