Ferrari has found itself under criticism not only on the sporting front, but also from a marketing and branding perspective. Revolut, the new title sponsor of Audi in Formula 1 from 2026, has openly criticised Ferrari’s decision to adapt its livery to accommodate HP branding, questioning the aesthetic coherence of placing blue elements on the iconic red Ferrari car.
Formula 1 is not just about on-track competition, but also a constant battle in terms of image, marketing strategy and brand identity. This was highlighted by comments from Antoine Le Nel, chief marketing officer of Revolut, who shared a very critical view of Ferrari’s visual choices during an interview with Business of Sport.
Speaking about the importance of visual identity, Le Nel explained that branding alignment was one of the key factors behind Revolut’s decision to partner with Audi. In doing so, he openly referenced the Ferrari-HP collaboration as an example of what he believes should be avoided. “No offence, but I think what HP and Ferrari have done on their cars is not positive from a design point of view. How can you put blue on a red car? It doesn’t work,” he said.
Ferrari under fire for using the blue HP logo on its livery
According to the Revolut executive, the integration of sponsor logos and colours should feel natural and remain fully consistent with a team’s identity. In his view, Ferrari compromised this principle in order to meet the requirements of its technology title sponsor.
Le Nel also explained how quickly the agreement with Audi came together, precisely because of a strong and immediate alignment between the two brands. “Audi became the preferred choice very quickly. The alignment between the brands was immediate,” he stated.
At the heart of this decision is also a different interpretation of the concept of luxury. “Ferrari is extremely premium, just like Aston Martin or McLaren. But Audi represents a more accessible form of luxury, something closer to people. And that is something we really identify with,” Le Nel explained.
Why Revolut chose Audi instead of Ferrari
The Revolut CMO stressed how design and user experience sit at the core of the digital bank’s values. “For us, the brand is fundamental. We pay a lot of attention to design and everything has to be consistent,” he said. In this context, Le Nel praised several positive examples already present in the Formula 1 paddock. “Credit where it’s due to Mastercard with McLaren, as well as Google Chrome. In those cases, the integration works really well.”
Beyond aesthetics, Revolut was also drawn to Audi’s industrial philosophy. From 2026, Audi will enter Formula 1 by producing both the chassis and the power unit in-house following the acquisition of Sauber. “Storytelling is extremely important. Audi is entering one of the most difficult sports in the world, starting from scratch and building everything internally. That is exactly what we do as well,” Le Nel explained.
This comparison has indirectly involved other new entrants such as Cadillac, underlining how Audi represents, in Revolut’s eyes, a genuine, coherent and ambitious challenge. A vision that, judging by the words of its chief marketing officer, places enormous importance on respecting visual identity – a topic that has now placed Ferrari at the centre of a controversy that is anything but marginal.
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