Red Bull brings Wall Street to the pit wall with first-of-its-kind Carlyle deal
Oracle Red Bull Racing has added a heavyweight name to its sponsor stable, announcing a multi-year partnership with global investment giant Carlyle in what both parties are billing as an F1 first: a tie-up between a team and a major private markets firm.
The agreement, unveiled as the championship heads into its decisive run-in, hands Carlyle exclusive status in the investment management category. Expect to see the firm’s branding on the RB21, the team kit, the pit wall, and throughout the garage as the deal rolls out over the remaining fly-aways. Beyond the logos, Red Bull will give Carlyle a direct platform to engage clients and partners around the world — the kind of high-touch access that’s becoming the currency of modern F1 sponsorship.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Carlyle to the team,” said Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies. “Both of our organisations are built on world-class talent, bold thinking, and a drive to perform at the highest level. As an iconic firm in global finance, Carlyle brings a long-term perspective with an expansive network, and we look forward to building a powerful partnership on and off the track. Formula 1 demands relentless focus and precision, and we see clear alignment with Carlyle’s approach to investing.”
For Carlyle, the logic is clear. Private markets are courting a new generation of investors, and F1’s global footprint — week in, week out across continents — is a compelling shop window.
“Our industry is undergoing an extraordinary transformation, fueled by greater access to private markets and growing interest from a new generation of investors,” said Carlyle CEO Harvey Schwartz. “That same spirit of growth and inclusivity is reshaping Formula 1, as Oracle Red Bull Racing leads the way in expanding the sport to new audiences globally. This partnership unites two high-performing teams driven by innovation and excellence. We’re excited to partner with one of the most illustrious brands in global sport to engage new audiences and create long-term value together.”
It’s also a smart bit of category staking by Red Bull. Finance has long been part of the F1 sponsorship mix, but locking in exclusivity with a private markets powerhouse underlines how the sport is evolving from traditional banking badges to more targeted capital-markets players. The promise here isn’t just brand visibility; it’s the curated hospitality, data-led activations and B2B matchmaking that turn grand prix weekends into rolling investor summits.
The timing won’t be lost on anyone. Red Bull — the reigning World Champions — has been grinding through a more contested 2025 campaign, with Max Verstappen trading blows in the fight for top-three honours in the Drivers’ standings and the team scrapping for position in a tightly packed Constructors’ field. A fresh commercial surge as the calendar hits its high-stakes stretch is a sure signal of confidence, on and off the asphalt.
From the team’s side, the fit is neat. Red Bull has made a habit of folding blue-chip partners into its ecosystem and using F1’s global cadence to scale their presence. From the team’s Milton Keynes HQ to the paddock club, Carlyle will find plenty of touchpoints to activate — and no shortage of hospitality guests eager to talk markets between sessions.
From Carlyle’s side, there’s brand adjacency to precision engineering, split-second decision making, and a sporting property that refuses to stop expanding its audience. Private equity and motorsport may not be an obvious pairing, but if you’re selling performance and access, there are worse places to plant a flag than on the world’s fastest moving billboard.
Look for the Carlyle marks to debut on the RB21 and across team apparel imminently. And as the season barrels toward its finale, don’t be surprised if you spot a few more suits in the garage — and a lot of new business cards swapping hands in the paddock. This is F1 in 2025: quick laps, big moves, and bigger money.
