Last Updated on May 29 2025, 10:07 am

MUSINGS FROM TJ13 NOTEPAD – Formula 1 signs multi-million dollar deal with PepsiCo: Snacks, Sprints, and Sting Operations with F1’s latest pit stop, the snack aisle – In a move that experts are describing as either a visionary marketing strategy or a subtle cry for help, Formula 1 has announced a new multi-year sponsorship deal with the global snack and sugar giant, PepsiCo.

Described as ‘groundbreaking’ by those contractually obliged to say so, the deal will see the elite showcase of Formula 1 engineering align itself with the time-tested power of carbonated caffeine and fried corn.

Yes, you heard it right. The sport that preaches marginal gains through aerodynamics, carbon fibre and multimillion-dollar simulators will now feature advertising for Doritos, Gatorade and a product called ‘Sting Energy’, which sounds more like a WWF wrestling finisher than a beverage.

The partnership is set to run until 2030, which is coincidentally around the time we’re expected to reach the climate apocalypse. But hey—at least there will be chips.

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Red Bull vs. Pepsi: The Battle of the Buzz

While Red Bull has been fuelling Formula 1 with its drinks and millions for almost two decades, this new collaboration could be seen as the soft drinks equivalent of betrayal. It’s like inviting your friend to a party and then hiring their nemesis as the DJ.

Not only does Red Bull own two teams — Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls — but it also controls broadcasting in key markets through ServusTV. So imagine their horror when PepsiCo swooped in with its own neon can of liquid adrenaline and declared Sting Energy the ‘official energy drink of Formula 1’.

There has been no word yet on whether Christian Horner has launched a stealth team of lawyers disguised as Red Bull pit crew members to investigate, but sources in the paddock claim that an emergency stockpile of taurine has been ordered in response.

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Doritos to Become the New Tyre Sponsor? (Just kidding, for now).

As part of the agreement, PepsiCo’s Doritos brand will become the “official savoury snack” of Formula 1. While it’s unclear what role an aggressively cheesy triangle could play in race strategy, Stefano Domenicali insists that it’s all about the “fan experience”.

‘We see this as a brilliant combination of tradition and innovation,’ he explained, standing next to a life-size sculpture of Max Verstappen carved entirely from Cool Ranch flavour Doritos. ‘Formula 1 is fast, flavourful and full of crunch — just like our new partner’s snacks.’

There has been no confirmation yet, but rumours are circulating that the next iteration of the sprint race format may involve pit crews eating three family-size bags of Doritos before sending their driver out on soft tyres.

Extreme alterations for Monaco

 

Gatorade: hydrating the sprint, dehydrating the gridwalk.

Gatorade, long associated with real athletes, is now the official drink of the Formula 1 Sprint. It’s a logical fit — short, intense and occasionally pointless, just like trying to hydrate with a bright blue liquid while wearing Nomex.

Fans should prepare for even more brand crossovers. Imagine the Gatorade hydration challenge with Lando Norris, or a ‘Guess the flavour’ quiz hosted by Pierre Gasly. We’re only a step away from helmet visors being retrofitted to hold drink pouches.

Meanwhile, traditionalists are still coming to terms with the idea of Sir Lewis Hamilton handing out Doritos to VIP guests one day, while Charles Leclerc attempts to set the fastest lap with ‘Glacier Freeze’ running down his chin.

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A Vision of the Future: Formula Snack

Eugen Willemsen, head of PepsiCo’s beverage division and now part-time F1 hype man, praised the deal as “the perfect combination of two global heavyweights”. One produces roaring engines and lap records. The other produces blood sugar spikes and crumbs in car seats.

Both parties are clearly thrilled. PepsiCo gains access to an elite worldwide audience that has somehow not yet succumbed to ‘ad fatigue’, while Formula 1 gets a truckload of cash to invest in more aerodynamic wheel covers, awkward sprint formats and ongoing efforts to make Las Vegas resemble Monaco as reimagined by Liberace.

Expect to see race weekends transformed by this new era. Promotional kiosks, limited-edition flavour tie-ins and helmet liveries resembling snack packaging are just the beginning. F1’s approach to brand synergy seems to be that if something can be deep-fried, made drinkable, or turned into a TikTok video, then it belongs on the grid.

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From Heritage to Hyperbole: The Final Lap

As Formula 1 hurtles towards its Netflix-fuelled future, this partnership with PepsiCo serves as a reminder that tradition and taste are optional when a large enough paycheque is on offer.

Gone are the days of silent stoicism and open-wheel purism. Now, Formula 1 is embracing the chaotic energy of product integration with all the grace of a pit stop gone wrong. The only remaining question is how long it will be before a driver climbs the podium, shakes a bottle of Sting Energy and bathes in fluorescent fizz, spraying Dorito dust over the crowd.

One thing’s for sure: Formula 1 is no longer just about racing. It’s about making you thirsty and craving nachos while you race. Welcome to the snack era.

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MORE F1 NEWS – Monaco scrapping

Formula One is being forced to confront an uncomfortable truth – and it’s happening increasingly behind closed doors. For all its glamour, tradition and prestige, the Monaco Grand Prix is no longer be compatible with the modern direction of the sport. What was once considered untouchable is now being seriously, if quietly, debated at the highest levels: could Formula One actually drop Monaco from its calendar?

A decade ago, the idea would have been heresy. Now it’s an inevitable conversation. The race has become synonymous with spectacle, not sport – and as pressure mounts from fans, broadcasters and even the teams themselves, Monaco’s future is no longer guaranteed. A Grand Prix that once defined F1 now risks being defined by everything the sport is trying to move beyond…. READ MORE ON THIS STORY