Much discussion has arisen regarding the meaning of 'RB' in the rebranded team name Visa Cash App RB, formerly known as AlphaTauri.
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Red Bull's junior team Visa Cash App RB, formerly known as AlphaTauri, earned its new name this year. However, fans and F1 experts pondered over the meaning of RB in the name, which many speculated to be Racing Bulls. However, the team's CEO, Peter Bayer, has confirmed that RB stands for Red Bull.
After the team revealed its new name, social media platforms were flooded with reactions, many of which expressed confusion. Remembering and pronouncing the complex names in everyday conversations would certainly pose a bit of a challenge.
Thankfully, the media introduced a shortened version of the name, dubbing it VCARB,which might sound like a carbohydrate-rich dietor, some sort of a carburetor, if you're old enough to have meddled with them in the past.
However, with people interested in guessing what the RB stood for, Bayer cleared the air by saying that it stood for Red Bull since the junior team was moving closer to the Milton Keynes outfit. Speaking toRacingNews365, he said:
“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.
“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 the RB really stands for Red Bull, 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.”
Nevertheless, the CEO made a valid argument that, over time, a shorter moniker will likely emerge for the team, similar to what's been adopted by other teams. Consequently, the team can redirect its attention towards the primary objective- the development of the 2024 title contender.He added:
“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.”
