PepsiCo Returns to F1 - 35 Years After the Iconic Team 7UP Jordan

Last weekend Monaco served its usual cocktail of glitz, glamour and celebrity, with a dash of motor racing thrown in. Most people who attended the race came away with an overwhelming sense that Formula 1 has never been bigger. For the viewing public, however, the race itself was something of an anti-climax. The hoped-for unpredictability brought about by the mandatory two-pit stop rule never truly materialised—although race strategists found the requirement intriguing. 

Teams such as Racing Bulls, Williams, and Mercedes-Benz ended up gaming the system—essentially penalising one driver to allow the other space to leapfrog the competition. In truth, all that really did was highlight the lack of strategic foresight behind the rule change. 

Few doubted that McLaren would dominate the weekend and, sure enough, Lando Norris romped home to his second victory of the season. His teammate, Oscar Piastri, completed a McLaren sandwich with a third-place finish, split by local hero Charles Leclerc, second for Ferrari. 

But it was away from the track where the scale of F1’s success in 2025 truly became apparent. Mercedes-Benz Chief Executive Toto Wolff remarked that he had never seen the grandstands so full or the hospitality units so packed—an atmosphere that exceeded any previous race in the Principality by some margin. 

Guests, hosts, and organisers alike offered consistent feedback: Monaco has never been a better barometer of F1’s surging popularity and cultural appeal. 

The weekend began with a small but poignant event to mark the recent passing of Eddie Jordan, the former team boss who spent part of each year in Monaco and loved the buzz of the place. The launch of the Eddie Jordan Foundation at the Monte Carlo Yacht Club on Thursday morning coincided with the release of a new book chronicling his career and entrepreneurial legacy authored by friend and business partner Keith O’Loughlin. 

EJ would have loved the party atmosphere of Monaco 2025. He’d have especially relished the news that broke just 48 hours after the race: that American drinks giant PepsiCo is set to become one of Formula 1’s newest major partners. PepsiCo will bring brands like Sting Energy (now the official energy drink of F1), Gatorade (official partner of the F1 Sprint races), and Doritos (official savoury snack partner) into the sport. 

That announcement would surely have brought a smile to Eddie’s face. When Jordan Grand Prix entered F1 in 1991, the team attracted PepsiCo as its title sponsor—leading to the iconic Team 7UP Jordan. The team stunned the paddock, finishing fifth in the Constructors’ Championship in its debut season, and giving none other than Michael Schumacher his F1 debut. Due to 7UP not being marketed in Japan, the Jordan cars carried full PepsiCo corporate branding in Suzuka—making their return to F1 35 years later a full-circle moment. 

PepsiCo’s re-entry into the sport is a major milestone—and another marker of Formula 1’s spectacular commercial growth. 

Some wonder how many more sponsors F1 can continue to attract. But with its unmatched blend of speed, technology, mobility, culture, and compelling global content—shared and shaped by teams, drivers, fans, and media alike—demand continues to surge.