Veteran F1 journalist Joe Saward reported that Lewis Hamilton might be planning to sponsor himself at Ferrari from 2025 onwards through his non-alcoholic tequila brand, Almave. This could mean the company’s branding will feature on Ferrari’s car next season.
Hamilton entered this venture in October 2023, announcing his move into the non-alcoholic beverage industry. So far, the brand offers two products: the Almave Ambar, priced at $40, and the Almave Blanco, retailing for $36.
| Rumour : Sir Lewis Hamilton may ‘sponsor himself’ in mega deal with Ferrari
Reportedly, @almave – which now Pernod Richard owns a stake in, will become one of the sponsors of the Italian racing team next season, thus including Lewis Hamilton in its ranks. In a roundabout… pic.twitter.com/xKEFfhOOXI
— sim (@sim3744) September 27, 2024
Pernod Ricard, the world’s second-largest wine and spirits company, recently acquired a stake in Hamilton‘s brand, expanding its global reach. The French company’s involvement is expected to help Almave strengthen its foothold in marketing and distribution.
According to Saward, the rumor that Hamilton’s Almave brand could join Ferrari’s list of sponsors surfaced during the Singapore GP weekend. While this would be beneficial for Almave and the non-alcoholic beverage industry, it wouldn’t be an unusual move, as it won’t be the first time an F1 driver would be sponsoring themselves.
Fernando Alonso sponsored himself with Kimoa
In 2017, two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso launched his own clothing brand, Kimoa. He aimed to promote the brand through his platform in F1, but to display the name on McLaren’s car, he had to make big sacrifices. Alonso gave up personal sponsorships worth over $10 million due to conflicts of interest. He later went on to sponsor himself in the World Endurance Championship and IndyCar.
Still don’t have your Gp Spain cap? Buy this cap and get a surprise! We will send 5 units signed by Fernando Alonso. If you are one of the lucky 5, share it with us on social media! Valid until Sunday 13th. https://t.co/ArtJh75aYM
Legal bases: https://t.co/B0oGS0h7py pic.twitter.com/8JSLeJKSla— kimoa (@Kimoa) May 11, 2018
Alonso also got Lando Norris to do an ad shoot for his brand, as Kimoa was one of McLaren’s sponsors and Norris was its junior driver. The ad featured Alonso and Norris testing a Kimoa surfboard at the McLaren Technology Center in Woking, UK.
However, Alonso’s brand struggled financially, with Kimoa suffering heavy losses. By 2021, the losses had climbed to over $3 million. The now 42-year-old then decided to sell his company to an American group called Revolution Brands.
