What Car Is Stake F1? | The Sauber Chassis Name

If you’ve heard “Stake F1” on a broadcast and wondered what car that actually is, you’re not alone. The short version is simple: Stake was the title sponsor, while the car itself was a Sauber-built Formula 1 chassis. In the Stake era, Sauber also sold the chassis naming rights to Kick, so the model code you’ll see in results and stats is “Kick Sauber” plus a C-number.

This article clears up the naming, the model codes, and what changes year to year. You’ll also get a practical way to confirm the exact chassis name for any season, plus a quick checklist for spotting the car in photos, timing screens, and official entry lists.

What “Stake F1” Means On The Grid

“Stake F1” is shorthand fans use for the team that entered under Stake branding in 2024 and 2025. The racing team behind that branding is Sauber Motorsport, based in Hinwil, Switzerland. The car is designed and built by Sauber under FIA rules that require each team to construct its own chassis.

So when someone asks, “What car is Stake F1?”, the clean answer is: Sauber’s car for that season. The sponsor name can shift by country because gambling advertising rules differ. That’s why you may see “Kick Sauber” used on some broadcasts and “Stake” used on others.

Why The Same Team Can Look Like Two Names

In markets where gambling branding is restricted, the team can run alternate branding. During the Stake partnership, Kick (a streaming brand tied to the same sponsor group) often appeared in place of Stake. The day-to-day operations stayed Sauber; the branding changed.

Chassis Names Versus Team Names

F1 has two parallel “names” that people mix up:

• Team/entrant name: the name on the entry list and standings (the sponsor can be in here).
• Chassis name: the technical name of the car model used that season (often a code like C44).

During 2024 and 2025, Sauber’s chassis name included “Kick Sauber” plus the season code, which is why you’ll hear fans talk about the C44 and C45 even when they say “Stake F1.”

What Car Is Stake F1? Season-By-Season Chassis Codes

Here’s the part most people want: the season car name. For the Stake-branded Sauber era, the model codes are straightforward.

2024: Kick Sauber C44

In 2024, the team’s car was the Kick Sauber C44. It was Sauber’s 2024 chassis, raced by Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu.

2025: Kick Sauber C45

In 2025, the car became the Kick Sauber C45. It followed the same naming pattern while carrying the season’s changes in aero, cooling, and packaging.

2026: Stake Branding Ends As Audi Takes Over

Sauber’s grid identity changes for 2026, when the operation becomes Audi’s factory team. That shift also changes how the car is branded and what the chassis is called publicly, since the team name and partner set change with the new era.

How To Confirm The Exact Car Name For Any Race Weekend

If you want to be sure what the car is called in a given season, use sources that mirror what F1 and the FIA record.

Check The Official Team Name Used By Formula 1

Formula 1’s team coverage spells out the entrant name and rebrand details. The 2024 announcement is a clean reference point because it ties the sponsor name to the team identity. Sauber’s rebrand to Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber is the type of page that confirms what the series is calling the team that season.

Use The Season Chassis Code In Results Databases

Race archives and technical summaries usually track the chassis model code. For Stake-era Sauber, the “C” number is the quickest identifier because it’s tied to the physical car design used that year. If you see C44, you’re looking at the 2024 car; if you see C45, it’s the 2025 car.

Match The Car To The Team’s Driver Lineup

Driver pairings help as a cross-check when you’re scanning older clips or photo galleries. Bottas and Zhou point you to the 2024 Stake-era Sauber car. If your clip shows a later lineup, you’re likely looking at the 2025 car or beyond.

What The Sauber Model Code Actually Tells You

The chassis code is not a random label. It tells you which season’s base design you’re dealing with, even when the car has different decals or a mid-season update package.

It Identifies The Car’s Design Family

Teams bring upgrades all season long, yet the chassis code still anchors the design generation. A C44 with a new floor or sidepod update is still the C44 because it’s still that season’s build family.

It Cuts Through Branding Noise

F1 cars can look different with livery swaps and local sponsor restrictions. The chassis code stays tied to the season’s car, so it helps you avoid mixing years when you’re comparing clips or reading notes.

It Helps You Compare Like With Like

If you’re reading setup talk or watching onboards, it’s cleaner to compare within the same chassis code. Comparing a C44 to a C45 can still be fun, yet you’re comparing two different starting designs.

Stake Branding, Kick Branding, And What You’ll See On TV

On a race weekend, the car on track is the same Sauber chassis for that season, but the branding can flip. This can make it feel like there are two different cars, even when there aren’t.

When You’ll See “Kick Sauber” Instead Of “Stake”

In certain countries, gambling sponsor marks are restricted. In those markets, the broadcast visuals and car decals may lean into “Kick” branding. The entry, the garage, and the chassis stay the same build for that season.

Why Fans Still Say “Stake F1”

Fans tend to use the loudest sponsor label as shorthand. “Stake F1” is easy to say, and it maps to the two seasons where Stake was the lead title partner tied to the Sauber team identity.

Stake-Era Sauber At A Glance

Use this table as a fast reference for how Sauber’s branding and chassis naming flows across seasons, including the handoff into the Audi era.

Season	Brand Used Publicly	Chassis Model Code
2019	Alfa Romeo Racing	C38
2020	Alfa Romeo Racing	C39
2021	Alfa Romeo Racing	C41
2022	Alfa Romeo F1 Team	C42
2023	Alfa Romeo F1 Team	C43
2024	Stake F1 Team / Kick Sauber (market dependent)	Kick Sauber C44
2025	Stake F1 Team / Kick Sauber (market dependent)	Kick Sauber C45
2026	Audi factory team branding	New Audi-era model name

What Changes When A Team Becomes A Factory Operation

When a car goes from a customer engine setup to a factory-backed program, the visible name is only one layer of change. The behind-the-scenes work also shifts.

Power Unit Plans Shift In 2026

Sauber’s long-run plan is to race as Audi’s factory entry from 2026. That comes with Audi’s power unit project and a new team identity.

Public Car Naming Can Reset

Teams often reset naming when a new era begins. Audi’s motorsport pages also refer to their first Formula 1 race car by a new model name tied to 2026. Audi’s Formula 1 programme overview is one place where that naming is described.

What Stays The Same

The Hinwil base remains central to the operation, even as the team runs under Audi branding. That’s why many fans still refer to the “Sauber team” regardless of the sponsor name on the sidepod.

How To Spot The Stake-Era Sauber Car In Photos

If you’re scrolling clips or old race photos, a few cues help you spot whether you’re looking at the Stake-era car and which season it is.

Look For The Neon Green And Black Base Scheme

The Stake/Kick era leaned into a black car with bright green accents in its show livery. That palette became a quick visual shortcut for fans.

Check The Halo And Sidepod Branding

On broadcasts, the sidepod and engine cover marks tend to carry the sponsor branding that changes by market. If you see Kick marks in a region with gambling restrictions, you’re still watching the same Sauber chassis for that season.

Use The Car Shape As A Tiebreaker

From 2024 to 2025, the rules stayed in the same cycle, yet the car shapes still shift. If you compare a clear side-on photo between C44 and C45, you can spot changes around sidepod inlets, cooling exits, and front wing details. Use this only as a tiebreaker when you can’t confirm the season from the event label or driver lineup.

Common Confusions That Lead To The Wrong Answer

These are the traps that make fans think Stake F1 is a separate constructor.

Mixing Sponsor Names With Constructors

Constructors build the chassis; sponsors pay for branding. Stake was a sponsor name in the team title, not the constructor building the car. Sauber is the constructor in those seasons.

Assuming A Different Car For Each Market

Kick and Stake branding swaps are visual and legal, not mechanical. The car is still the same season’s Sauber chassis.

Thinking “Kick Sauber” Is A Separate Team

Kick Sauber is a branding label used for the same Sauber operation. The C44 and C45 labels point to the season chassis codes, not a different constructor.

Practical Checklist For Answering The Question In Seconds

If someone asks you this during a race, you can answer cleanly without getting dragged into sponsor trivia.

1. Pick the season year being referenced.
2. Map the year to the Sauber chassis code (C44 for 2024, C45 for 2025).
3. Say “Sauber’s car” first, then add the code if the person wants the exact model name.

Second Reference Table For Fast Checks

This table separates what each label tells you, so you can read race notes and stats without mixing terms.

Label You See	What It Refers To	How To Use It
Stake F1 Team	Title sponsor used in the team’s entrant name	Good for identifying the era (2024-2025)
Kick Sauber	Alternate branding and chassis naming label	Use it to match the season model code (C44, C45)
C44 / C45	The season chassis model code	Best for stats, technical notes, and photo ID
Sauber Motorsport	The team organisation that builds the chassis	Best for the constructor answer
Audi factory team	The 2026 rebrand into Audi’s works entry	Use it for 2026+ context and new naming

One-Sentence Answer You Can Quote

If you want a clean line to reuse: Stake F1 drove Sauber’s chassis, labeled as the Kick Sauber C44 in 2024 and the Kick Sauber C45 in 2025, with a new Audi-era car name from 2026.