Visa Cash App RB clarifies origins of controversial name

The new VCARB, as it is known internally, was unveiled in a ceremony in Las Vegas by drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda, but the name has drawn criticism by some, with the AlphaTauri name fading away after 2023.

There has been some confusion over whether the 'RB' stands for Red Bull or Racing Bulls, but Bayer, who left the FIA to become CEO of the team in 2023 has explained how the name came about, and dismissed criticism of it.

Where does RB come from?

"The head of sponsorship at Visa, Andrea [Fairchild], said in an interview that it is a bit of a mouthful, but the reality is that we said from the outset last year that we will move closer to the Red Bull family," Bayer exclusively told RacingNews365 at the launch.

"We wanted to bring the bull and the RB back, and within the Red Bull family, there are the Flying Bulls, which is the plane collection Mr Mateschitz had, those are the Flying Bulls.

"And then somebody in the company said: 'Why don't we call these guys the Racing Bulls, so they have an identity on which they can build on when sponsors will change.

"We had to change everything, the company name and every single bit in the company including the tax office, so it was quite an effort.

"It fits well into the family, and then it was a great problem to have because Visa is one of the biggest brands in the world, and Cash App is one of the most spectacular brands in the financial world, especially in the US - and both wanted to partner with us.

"We were like: 'Okay, well, Visa Cash App RB Formula 1 Team' and I don't hear a lot of people calling Aston Martin, Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula 1 Team, I don't hear people talking about Moneygram Haas Formula 1 Team, so we just have to be realistic and focus on the content - and that is a really beautiful and fast car."