Nu and Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team Announce Multi-Year Global Partnership

WHY THIS MATTERS: The long-term alignment between a Latin American digital banking powerhouse and a dominant global motorsport brand signals a new escalation in Global Fintech Expansion. This partnership is less about traditional sponsorship and more about sophisticated customer acquisition via cultural relevance. For a digital institution like Nubank, which has successfully disrupted established markets like Brazil and Mexico, the massive, concentrated viewership of Formula 1—particularly across the Americas—provides an unparalleled shortcut for brand trust and recognition. It moves beyond conventional digital marketing by linking the bank’s ethos of technology and efficiency to the elite performance and high-octane engineering of the Mercedes team. This strategic play by a company valued for its lean, tech-driven model sets a benchmark for how Digital Banking leaders will leverage global platforms to penetrate new geographies and secure millions of new users without the legacy costs of a physical branch network.

Nu (NYSE:NU), one of the world’s largest digital financial services platforms, and the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team announced a new multi-year partnership establishing Nu as Official Team Partner, ahead of the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship Season.

The scale, international footprint and premium positioning of Formula 1 provide Nu with a powerful platform to build global brand awareness and deepen cultural relevance, creating new avenues to connect with a global, digital-first audience of over 827 million fans. With particularly strong reach across Latin America, the United States and other strategic markets, the partnership supports Nu’s long-term growth ambitions, while delivering immediate value in Brazil, Mexico and Colombia, countries with deep legacy in the sport and passionate fan bases.

The partnership brings together two industry leaders defined by their shared ambition to set new standards. Founded in 2013, Nu has rapidly grown into one of the world’s largest digital financial services platforms, serving over 127 million customers globally. Built on the belief that people deserve better financial services, Nu continues to challenge traditional banking through its digital-first model, customer centricity, world-class design and AI-driven technology.

That same pursuit of excellence defines Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, one of the most successful teams in the sport’s history, having won eight Constructors’ World Championships and nine Drivers’ World Championships. Driven by teamwork and a relentless drive for performance, the team is looking ahead to F1’s next chapter.

The multi-year partnership will deliver a range of dynamic on-track and off-track branding and activations designed to create memorable experiences for fans. It will showcase bold moments that bring supporters closer to the excitement of the sport, featuring Team drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, as well as CEO & Team Principal, Toto Wolff.

“F1 is one of the few truly global fan platforms, and the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team is a defining force in the sport, with an unparalleled track record. This partnership gives us a powerful opportunity to connect with hundreds of millions of fans in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, the United States and beyond”, said Cristina Junqueira, co-Founder, Chief Growth Officer and CEO of Nu’s emerging U.S. business. “We are looking forward to joining forces with the Mercedes F1 Team to leverage Nu’s customer-centricity, technology platform, and innovation to deliver premium access and incredible digital experiences that bring fans closer to the action. Building a global brand is a multi-year journey, and there is much more to come.”

“Innovation and disruption is at the heart of everything we do and our partnership with Nu reflects those joint values”, said Toto Wolff, CEO & Team Principal, Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team.“We have a shared commitment to pushing boundaries and finding smarter, more efficient ways to perform. We look forward to working together to drive such excellence through the partnership.”

“We are delighted to welcome Nu to our partner ecosystem,” said Richard Sanders, Chief Commercial Officer of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team. “Nu’s focus on technology and efficiency aligns well with the principles that drive performance in our sport. This partnership also provides an opportunity to collaborate in ways that create value for fans and strengthen both brands on and off the track.”

FF NEWS TAKE: This alliance is a significant move for Nubank that absolutely shifts the conversation around global fintech marketing. It is a bold, multi-year statement of intent that will resonate far beyond financial services, using a premium global sport to de-risk its entry into new, competitive markets. The immediate value is brand awareness, but the real test lies in the co-branded activations. We will be watching for the inevitable launch of hyper-local, exclusive digital products or cross-border payments features tied directly to the F1 season, which will determine if this partnership drives true product adoption or remains a high-visibility branding exercise.