Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team – a commentator’s nightmare (Photo: Twitter)
AlphaTauri have been officially rebranded as the Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team – and fans are not happy.
It has been known for some time that Red Bull’s sister team would be getting a makeover ahead of the 2024 season, with ‘Racing Bulls’ widely reported to be incorporated into the new name alongside a new sponsor.
On Wednesday, the Italian team finally announced their new identity: Visa Cash App RB (VCARB), with the Racing Bulls tag not included.
The unwieldly and, frankly, ugly title has been quickly derided by F1 fans, especially after Alfa Romeo also changed their name for 2024 to the ridiculous Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber.
@maranellosaint tweeted: ‘Okay but this is probably the greatest team branding mistake of modern formula 1. if you search “visa cash app” you’re gonna get the app. if you search “RB” you’re gonna get the red bulls. no one’s ever gonna find the team itself.’
@AlexVangeen added: ‘This is honestly the worst name of any team ever. What do we even call them? Visa? RB? Cash App? Honestly this is a farce!
‘This genuinely has to be the most diabolical name change in sporting history Imagine having to say “I’m Yuki Tsunoda and I drive for Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team”,’ @BushiAntz posted.
The team had been known as AlphaTauri since 2020 (Photo: Getty)
@screamingmeals pondered: ‘How do you even keep your face straight and speak the words “Visa Cash App RB F1 Team” out? I understand money and sponsorship but there should be at least a tiny bit of public-friendliness in those team names,’
Former F1 driver Giedo van der Garde even weighed in on the matter, saying: ‘I know I’ve just retired so I don’t wanna sound like “everything in the past used to be so much better”, but to my opinion “Visa Cash App RB” isn’t an appropriate name for a Formula One team.’
VCARB were founded in 2006 when Red Bull bought the Minardi team and were turned into Toro Rosso, before being rebranded as AlphaTauri in 2020 to promote the energy drink company’s fashion brand.
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For their entire existence, they’ve survived as a feeder team for Red Bull Racing, almost always signing young drivers from their academy with the aim of preparing them for a move to the senior team.
Their most notable success stories are Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel who have won seven world championships between them, with other notable drivers including Daniel Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz, and Pierre Gasly.
As well as the new name, it was also announced that Tsunoda and Ricciardo will be unveiling VCARB’s 2024 car on February 8th in Las Vegas, with the new season underway on March 2nd.
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‘This genuinely has to be the most diabolical name change in sporting history.’
