Legal proceedings launched against Sauber over new team name

Swiss gaming authorities have opened an investigation into the Sauber Formula 1 team over their title partnership with gambling brand Stake, which is banned in the team’s home country.

As reported by SRF, the investigation is due to team sponsor Stake lacking a license to operate in Switzerland.

Despite the threat of a fine of up to $878,000 AUD (500,000 Swiss Francs), Sauber maintains that the sponsorship is above board, with team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi telling Autosport the team name will vary depending on local regulations.

"As you know, last year we alternated two different names according to the different countries where we go racing,” said Alunni Bravi.

“We will be fully complying with all the local applicable laws and where Stake is prohibited, so gambling advertising is prohibited, we will use a different name.”

“As last year, we have Kick as one of our most important partners – our chassis name is a Kick Sauber – so where we are not going to race as Stake F1 Team, we will use a second team name."

The investigation from the Swiss gaming commission follows the team’s official launch as the Stake F1 Team in London on Monday.

Stake is led by Ed Craven and Bijan Tehrani, both from Melbourne, who also own livestreaming platform Kick.

Kick launched its own sponsorship of the team at last year’s Australian Grand Prix, amidst a legal battle with the similarly named Stake stock-trading platform.

“According to the court documents, the casino group’s lawyers assured the share trading Stake that it would not use its logo in conjunction with the Melbourne Grand Prix and did not intend to display the name on any vehicles or uniforms or as part of the Alfa Romeo team name,” reported the Sydney Morning Herald.

The two companies are locked in a legal battle in the Federal Court over the use of the name.

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