Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team Strikes Landmark Global Partnership with PepsiCo From 2026
1 hour ago
The Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team has announced a major multi-year global partnership with PepsiCo, bringing three of the company’s powerhouse brands — Gatorade®, Sting®, and Doritos® — into Formula 1 from 2026 onwards. The deal builds on PepsiCo’s growing engagement in F1 and marks the first time the three category-leading brands will jointly partner with a Formula 1 team.
The alliance places PepsiCo at the centre of F1’s continued commercial boom, integrating the brands across Mercedes’ high-performance operations, fan experiences, and global activations. With F1 experiencing a rapid expansion in younger audiences and key emerging markets, the partnership aligns with PepsiCo’s ambition to strengthen its presence in high-growth sports and entertainment categories.
A key pillar of the partnership is Gatorade’s entry into the F1 paddock for the first time. With over six decades of hydration science and the support of the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI), the brand will contribute to Mercedes’ driver conditioning and race-day performance — an increasingly critical area given the intense physical demands of the sport. Drivers can lose up to 4 kilograms during a race, making optimized hydration essential. Gatorade will develop a fully customised hydration strategy for the team, aiming to deliver marginal gains where milliseconds matter.
The collaboration will also spotlight the team’s driver pairing — George Russell and rising talent Kimi Antonelli — who represent two generations of F1 excellence. Through behind-the-scenes content, global activations, and fan engagement initiatives, the drivers will help bring the combined energy of Gatorade, Doritos, and Sting directly to fans around the world.
Sting®, the market-leading energy drink in India, Pakistan, Vietnam, and Egypt, enters the partnership with strong relevance across regions where both F1 and Mercedes are rapidly expanding. The brand’s bold, youth-driven identity will translate into high-energy race-weekend activations, strengthening F1’s growing connection with Gen Z audiences.
Doritos® will leverage global activation rights to infuse F1 race weekends with its signature boldness. Through culturally driven campaigns and trackside fan experiences, the brand aims to mirror the adrenaline and tension of Grand Prix racing, bringing its distinctive flavour-led identity into the sport.
Eugene Willemsen, CEO, International Beverages at PepsiCo, described the collaboration as uniting “performance, energy, and flavour”:
“Through Gatorade, Sting and Doritos, we’re inside the culture of the sport, fuelling both the athletes and the fans who live for the thrill of F1. Partnering with Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team reflects our shared commitment to performance, innovation, and excellence.”
Toto Wolff, Team Principal & CEO of Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, highlighted the strategic fit: “They align perfectly with our ethos of chasing ultimate performance through innovation and excellence. Gatorade’s expertise, Sting’s youthful energy, and Doritos’ cultural relevance each bring something unique.”
Richard Sanders, Chief Commercial Officer, added: “Their expertise helps us deliver outstanding experiences for guests and fans at the track and beyond — adding real value to how we operate daily and how we connect globally.”
The PepsiCo–Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 partnership stands out as one of the most comprehensive cross-category sponsorships entering Formula 1 in recent years. By combining performance science, youth energy, and cultural resonance, the deal positions both organisations to deepen engagement with F1’s surging global audience and elevate the race-weekend experience.