F1 team were forced to change their name before Australian Grand Prix due to strict rule

A Formula 1 team had to change name due to a strict rule before last season's Australian Grand Prix.

This weekend, F1 finally returns as the 2025 season will begin with the Australian Grand Prix, with the race taking place around Albert Park in Melbourne on Sunday.

Dutchman Max Verstappen is looking to get his title defence off to the perfect start as he looks to win his fifth world championship this year.

Last season, the Australian Grand Prix was the third race on the calendar after Bahrain and Saudi Arabia but has been restalled as the curtain-raiser ahead of 2025.

Prior to the race last year, Stake F1 Team had to change its name due to the rules in the country.

Previously known as Alfa Romeo Sauber, Australian online casino Stake took over as co-title sponsors for the second half of the 2023 season and kept that position when the team rebranded as Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber.

It was later announced that the team would be known as 'Stake F1 Team' on a daily basis.

However, prior to last year's race in Melbourne, Stake F1 Team was forced to change to Kick Sauber due to local gambling rules.

Australia's strict gambling laws prohibit gambling advertising during live sport, on both broadcast and online platforms, between the hours of 5:00am and 8:30pm.

As a result, Kick must take over the title sponsorship of the team - meaning they went by Kick Sauber for the entire weekend in Australia.

Stake F1 Team had to change name last year. Image: Getty

Similar laws in other countries meant the team was also known as 'Kick Sauber' at the Spanish, Belgian and Qatar Grands Prix last year.

Since then, the team has mainly been referred to as 'Kick Sauber' but the official full name remains 'Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber'.

On Friday, Kick Sauber drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto were in action as FP1 and FP2 took place.

German Hulkenberg finished 18th in the first practice before improving to eighth in FP2.

Rookie Bortoleto was 15th in FP1 and 18th in FP2.