Gatorade® And F1 ACADEMYTM Launch Groundbreaking Partnership To Fuel The Future Of Women's Racing

(MENAFN- PR Newswire) As one of the most physically and mentally demanding sports in the world, Formula 1 requires peak performance under extreme conditions, with hydration being one of the most important factors for athlete success. It is estimated that drivers can lose up to 4 kilograms of body weight through sweat during a single race¹. Through the partnership, F1 ACADEMY drivers will gain access to the Gatorade Sport Science Institute's industry-leading expertise, including personalised hydration strategies, performance testing, and cutting-edge research to help them perform at their peak.

This partnership is part of Gatorade's Fuel Tomorrow initiative, which aims to provide 2.5 million teens with access to sports by 2030. By supporting F1 ACADEMY, Gatorade is helping to break down barriers in motorsport and inspire young women around the world to pursue their potential.

Commencing from the 2026 season, Gatorade will deliver a full-scale performance driven partnership with F1 ACADEMY, including:

• Driver and race car sponsorship – supporting a rising talent on the 2026 F1 ACADEMY grid with a bespoke livery and race suit to help amplify their talent on the global stage
• Bespoke hydration research – understanding the unique hydration needs of young female drivers
• Offering backed-by-science driver hydration and nutrition guidance – providing hydration solutions to optimise driver performance and recovery

Umi Patel, PepsiCo's Vice President of Marketing Innovation and Hydration Brands, said: "Partnering with F1 ACADEMY is a powerful moment for Gatorade. Motorsport is one of the most physically demanding sports on the planet, where optimum hydration can be the difference between winning and losing. This partnership allows us to bring our decades of sports science expertise directly to the next generation of elite drivers. By supporting young women at the start of their motorsport journey, we're not just setting them up for success at such a pivotal part of their career, we are encouraging them to see what is in them and fuel their drive and ambition for success. That's what our Fuel Tomorrow initiative is all about."

To celebrate the partnership, F1 ACADEMY Wild Card driver Mathilda Paatz will debut the Gatorade race car and suit at this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal. The 16-year-old from Cologne, Germany, will drive the branded car around one of the most iconic tracks on the F1 calendar, marking the start of this landmark collaboration in front of F1's millions of fans across the globe.

Wild Card driver, Mathilda Paatz said: "I'm beyond excited to have been selected as the Wild Card driver for Round 4 of F1 ACADEMY at the Canadian Grand Prix, driving the Gatorade race car. Growing up, I was captivated by the theatre of racing – the energy, the passion, and how drivers carried the pride of their teams. To now be racing on a Formula 1 weekend, with fans around the world watching, is a dream come true. I'm especially proud to partner with Gatorade, a brand that's championed athletes at every level and is helping pave the way for the next generation of women in motorsport."

The announcement of this milestone partnership comes at a time of significant audience growth for F1 ACADEMY, with the highly anticipated documentary, F1: THE ACADEMY, now streaming globally on Netflix, in addition to broadcasts in over 170 territories.

"We're proud to welcome Gatorade to the F1 ACADEMY family," said Susie Wolff, Managing Director of F1 ACADEMY. "What has impressed me most about Gatorade is how seriously they're investing in our drivers, not just as athletes, but as individuals with incredible potential. This isn't a surface-level sponsorship, it's a deeply hands-on partnership that brings world-class hydration science and performance expertise directly to our paddock. With the world-class expertise of Gatorade, not only will our drivers be better equipped to perform at their peak, but they'll also gain knowledge and tools that will serve them throughout their careers."

This collaboration follows PepsiCo's recently announced multi-year worldwide official partnership with F1, running until 2030. More details of the brand partnership and how Gatorade will be working with the F1 ACADEMY drivers will be shared in the lead-up to the sponsorship's official commencement in the 2026 Formula 1 Season.

"At PepsiCo, we believe in the power of platforms and partnerships to shape the future of sport – and to do so with purpose," said Jane Wakely, PepsiCo's Chief Consumer and Marketing Officer. "This historic global partnership with F1, one of the world's fastest growing sports, is a bold step forward in our mission to fuel fandom, create culture-driving moments and incredible brand experiences on a global scale."

¹ Source: ESPN

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $91 billion in net revenue in 2023, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay's, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with pep+ (PepsiCo Positive). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the centre of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more information, visit , and follow on X (Twitter) , Instagram , Facebook , and LinkedIn @PepsiCo.

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SOURCE Gatorade

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