Red Bull’s AlphaTauri F1 team unveiled a new name, sparking diverse reactions. Fans and experts are torn between amusement and dismay at this unexpected branding shift in the racing world.
Fans and journalists reacted with both horror and amusement when Red Bull’s AlphaTauri team’s new official name was confirmed on Wednesday.
Speculation had it that the arrival of sponsors Visa and Cash App would merge into the name “Racing Bulls,” possibly shortened to “RB.”
However, while racingbulls.com redirects to the official website of Red Bull’s second Formula 1 team, formerly also known as Toro Rosso, there was no mention of “Racing Bulls” in Wednesday’s announcement. Officially, the team does not use this name… to prevent its widespread use!
The official F1 website has already started simply referring to the team as RB! This could cause confusion with Red Bull Racing.
Michel Milewski, a correspondent from the major German newspaper Bild, commented: “I’m sorry, but what?!”
Ilari Savonen from Finnish channel MTV acknowledged the new name as “horrible,” and even the German news agency DPA admitted it was “rather unusual.”
El Mundo Deportivo described Visa Cash App RB as a “shocking name,” while Spanish sports newspaper Marca believes it’s “the ugliest name in F1 history.”
“Goodbye AlphaTauri,” said Daniele Sparisci, F1 correspondent for Corriere della Sera, a newspaper in Italy, where the Red Bull-owned team is based.
“The new name of the Faenza team is like a credit card,” he joked.
Sky Deutschland’s headline read: “Formula 1 team takes a new, strange name” – a sentiment echoed by former F1 driver Giedo van der Garde on social media.
“We’re used to F1 being commercialized, as it should be,” said the Dutchman. “So, for commercial opportunities, I’m all for it.”
“But it just seems like a name that a team based in Italy shouldn’t have. Maybe they’ll prove me wrong, but I can’t see us talking in the future about this great team as Visa Cash App RB.”
According to Tobias Gruner, writing for Auto Motor und Sport, Red Bull even had to take some time to convince F1 owner Liberty Media to allow the new name.
“It will be interesting to see if this name, which takes some getting used to, will resonate with TV commentators and print media,” he said.
The German magazine called Dr. Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s senior consultant, for comment, and the 80-year-old admits the name is “a bit of a tongue twister.”
Meanwhile, it’s rumored that at the Faenza base, employees are already referring to Visa Cash App RB by an acronym: “V-CARB.” Will it be adopted by fans and media?
AlphaTauri New Name Reaction Fans’ Reactions and More. AlphaTauri New Name Reaction Fans’ Reactions and More
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