Ferrari has announced a major multi-year global partnership with Rakuten Group Corporation, strengthening the Formula 1 team’s commercial presence in Japan. The agreement will take effect on 1 January 2027, when Rakuten becomes Ferrari’s first Japanese partner in the telecommunications and e-commerce sectors.
The collaboration brings together two globally recognised brands built around innovation, technology and the pursuit of excellence. Ferrari’s international influence and prestigious motorsport heritage will be combined with Rakuten’s worldwide technology network and extensive digital ecosystem, with both organisations aiming to create new opportunities for innovation and strengthen commercial relationships with Rakuten’s business partners.
Ferrari and Rakuten partnership will extend beyond Formula 1
The Ferrari-Rakuten partnership is designed to reach well beyond activities at the racetrack. The companies will explore opportunities across e-commerce and communications platforms operated within the Rakuten ecosystem, including Rakuten Symphony.
Formula 1’s international platform will be used to expand the partnership’s global reach, establish new business relationships, showcase technological capabilities and encourage innovation across different industries. The agreement comes into effect in 2027, a year that will also form part of Ferrari’s longer-term sporting development as the team considers how work on the current generation of cars can contribute to its 2027 Formula 1 project.
As part of the commercial agreement, Rakuten branding will appear across several prominent areas of Ferrari’s Formula 1 operation. These will include the race cars, driver apparel and the team’s operational facilities.
Lorenzo Giorgetti welcomes Rakuten to Ferrari
Lorenzo Giorgetti, Chief Racing Revenue Officer at Ferrari S.p.A., highlighted the shared global reach and focus on innovation behind the new agreement.
“Welcoming Rakuten as a Ferrari partner represents an exceptional opportunity to bring together two brands with strong foundations worldwide and a shared belief in the power of innovation. Rakuten has built a unique digital ecosystem, and its technological capabilities open up new ways for us to create value beyond the racetrack. We look forward to working together from 2027 and exploring the opportunities this partnership can generate for both organisations and our global communities.”
The agreement reflects Ferrari’s efforts to broaden the global reach of its Formula 1 operation beyond its sporting activities, using the championship’s international audience as a platform for technological and commercial collaboration.
Hiroshi Mikitani highlights Ferrari and Rakuten’s shared focus on innovation
Hiroshi Mikitani, Chairman and CEO of Rakuten Group Corporation, also emphasised the parallels between elite motorsport, technological development and building strong relationships with supporters around the world.
“Motorsport at the highest level is built on the relentless pursuit of excellence in technological innovation and on creating special connections with fans, a determination we share with Ferrari. This partnership provides Rakuten with a dynamic global stage to bring the strength of its technology, digital ecosystem and unique membership experience directly to millions of passionate Ferrari and Formula 1 fans around the world.”
For Rakuten, the Ferrari agreement forms part of a wider strategy of using innovative partnerships to empower people through sport. The Japanese group intends to continue supporting initiatives designed to contribute to the growth and development of the wider sporting world.
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