By Timothy S. Donahue
Top Takeaways:
- Sponsorship backlash: 162 health groups called on Formula One to stop nicotine pouch sponsorships linked to PMI’s Zyn and BAT’s Velo brands.
- Youth audience concern: Advocates claim the partnerships conflict with F1’s goal to attract younger fans.
- Industry defense: Tobacco companies claim their marketing targets only adult consumers and complies with current regulations.
Over 160 public health and anti-tobacco groups are urging Formula 1 to stop sponsorship deals with nicotine pouch brands, arguing these partnerships expose young fans to tobacco company marketing.
In letters sent to the Formula 1 Group and several of the sport’s commercial partners, 162 organizations — including the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and the American Lung Association — stated that partnerships between teams and nicotine pouch brands conflict with F1’s efforts to grow its youth audience.
Philip Morris International sponsors the Scuderia Ferrari under its Zyn brand, while British American Tobacco supports the McLaren F1 Team with branding for its Velo products.
“By sponsoring F1 teams, tobacco companies are seeking to reach the same young people Formula One has worked hard to attract,” the organizations wrote in letters reviewed by Reuters. “Formula One must not be complicit in these efforts.”
Campaigners also sent letters to major Formula 1 sponsors with youth-heavy audiences, including The Walt Disney Company and The LEGO Group, urging them to pressure the sport to ban nicotine pouch sponsorships.
The advocacy effort occurs as nicotine pouches become key elements in tobacco companies’ plans to shift their portfolios toward reduced-risk products for adult smokers.
In response to concerns, the Formula 1 Group stated it complies with all relevant laws related to sponsorships. Tobacco companies involved in the partnerships said their marketing is aimed at adults.
“Adult consumers of nicotine products … have hobbies, interests and attend sporting events, and we will meet them where they are,” a spokesperson for Philip Morris International said.
British American Tobacco stated that its marketing related to McLaren complies with relevant regulations, while McLaren confirmed that the company’s digital promotions are age-restricted. Ferrari did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to Reuters.
The debate arises as Formula 1’s young fan base grows rapidly. The sport states that nearly 4 million children aged 8 to 12 in the United States and European Union actively watch F1 races, reflecting its efforts to engage younger fans through partnerships, social media, and streaming programs such as Formula 1: Drive to Survive on Netflix.
Health advocates say that growing youth audience raises concerns about exposure to nicotine marketing.
“It has the same goal, which is to addict young people, addict them early, and make them lifelong addicts,” said Yolonda Richardson, president and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
