SÃO PAULO & BRACKLEY, United Kingdom--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 21, 2026--
Nu (NYSE:NU), one of the world’s largest digital financial services platforms, and the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team today announce a new multi-year partnership establishing Nu as Official Team Partner, ahead of the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship Season.
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The scale, international footprint and premium positioning of Formula 1 provide Nu with a powerful platform to build global brand awareness and deepen cultural relevance, creating new avenues to connect with a global, digital-first audience of over 827 million fans. With particularly strong reach across Latin America, the United States and other strategic markets, the partnership supports Nu’s long-term growth ambitions, while delivering immediate value in Brazil, Mexico and Colombia, countries with deep legacy in the sport and passionate fan bases.
The partnership brings together two industry leaders defined by their shared ambition to set new standards. Founded in 2013, Nu has rapidly grown into one of the world’s largest digital financial services platforms, serving over 127 million customers globally. Built on the belief that people deserve better financial services, Nu continues to challenge traditional banking through its digital-first model, customer centricity, world-class design and AI-driven technology.
That same pursuit of excellence defines Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, one of the most successful teams in the sport’s history, having won eight Constructors’ World Championships and nine Drivers’ World Championships. Driven by teamwork and a relentless drive for performance, the team is looking ahead to F1’s next chapter.
The multi-year partnership will deliver a range of dynamic on-track and off-track branding and activations designed to create memorable experiences for fans. It will showcase bold moments that bring supporters closer to the excitement of the sport, featuring Team drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, as well as CEO & Team Principal, Toto Wolff.
“F1 is one of the few truly global fan platforms, and the Mercedes -AMG PETRONAS F1 Team is a defining force in the sport, with an unparalleled track record. This partnership gives us a powerful opportunity to connect with hundreds of millions of fans in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, the United States and beyond,” said Cristina Junqueira, co-Founder, Chief Growth Officer and CEO of Nu’s emerging U.S. business.“We are looking forward to joining forces with the Mercedes F1 Team to leverage Nu's customer-centricity, technology platform, and innovation to deliver premium access and incredible digital experiences that bring fans closer to the action. Building a global brand is a multi-year journey, and there is much more to come.”
“Innovation and disruption is at the heart of everything we do and our partnership with Nu reflects those joint values,” said Toto Wolff, CEO & Team Principal, Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team.“We have a shared commitment to pushing boundaries and finding smarter, more efficient ways to perform. We look forward to working together to drive such excellence through the partnership.”
“We are delighted to welcome Nu to our partner ecosystem,”said Richard Sanders, Chief Commercial Officer of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team. “Nu’s focus on technology and efficiency aligns well with the principles that drive performance in our sport. This partnership also provides an opportunity to collaborate in ways that create value for fans and strengthen both brands on and off the track.”
Join the Nu Journey
To learn more about the partnership and be the first to know about the next steps of Nu’s internationalization journey, join Nu’s Insider Access List at: nu.co/2026.
About Nu
Nu is one of the largest digital financial services platforms in the world, serving over 127 million customers across Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia. The company has been leading an industry transformation by leveraging data and proprietary technology to develop innovative products and services. Guided by its mission to fight complexity and empower people, Nu caters to customers’ complete financial journey, promoting financial access and advancement with responsible lending and transparency. The company is powered by an efficient and scalable business model that combines low cost to serve with growing returns. Nu’s impact has been recognized in multiple awards, including Time 100 Most Influential Companies, Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, and Forbes World’s Best Banks.
For more information, please visit https://international.nubank.com.br/about/.
About the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team
Mercedes was born to race - and we’ve been doing it since 1901. Today, the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team competes at the pinnacle of motorsport: the FIA Formula One World Championship.
The pioneering spirit of our company founders lives on in our commitment to innovation and performance. As the world’s original automobile manufacturer, Mercedes-Benz has defined the cutting edge of technology for over a century. Today, our F1 team exists to demonstrate the best of the brand’s performance on the global stage.
Based in Brackley and Brixworth, UK, over 2,000 committed team members work with a singular mission: to win the world championship. From 2014 to 2021, we secured a record eight consecutive Constructors’ Championships, and we are hungry for more.
Our journey is not just about performance on the track; we also strive to make a positive impact on the world and inspire future generations. We are proud signatories of the Climate Pledge, and we are leading the way in building a more sustainable and inclusive sport.
For more information, please visit www.mercedesamgf1.com.
Nu and Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team announce multi-year global partnership
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Maybe the end for the Florida Panthers came when Brad Marchand was shut down for the season last month. Or maybe it was when Seth Jones broke his collarbone and wound up missing 26 games. Or, maybe it was 20 minutes into training camp, when captain Aleksander Barkov blew out his knee.
Nobody knows when the season was officially doomed.
Doesn't matter now. The Panthers are out.
Games remain, but the Panthers were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention on Saturday with a 9-4 loss in Pittsburgh. For the first time since 2022, a team other than Florida will represent the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Final and for the first time since 2023, a team other than the Panthers will be the one hoisting the greatest chalice in sports.
They've known this was coming for a while. It's just official now.
“Obviously, no one’s happy about the situation," Panthers forward Sam Bennett said. "But it’s about really just sticking together as a team and going through this as a team. We're all sticking together. It's not fun sometimes. But we’re just trying to make the best of it.”
By the time the regular season ends in a couple of weeks, the Panthers will have gone well past the 500 man-games-missed mark this season because of injury. Barkov, the captain who Panthers coach Paul Maurice believes is the best player in the world, missed the entire year and a chance to captain Finland at the Milan Cortina Olympics as well.
Jonah Gadjovich will wind up missing 72 games with an upper-body injury. Tomas Nosek missed 60 games with a knee injury. Dmitry Kulikov is nearing 60 games missed, most with a shoulder injury and now a badly broken nose. Matthew Tkachuk missed 47 games while recovering from surgery to repair a sports hernia and torn adductor.
Cole Schwindt missed more than half the season with a pair of injuries. Marchand will miss 29 games and Jones missed 26. Niko Mikkola, Evan Rodrigues, Sam Reinhart, Uvis Balinskis and Anton Lundell were all shut down for the season at least a couple of weeks ago. Aaron Ekblad broke a finger this week and he won't play until next season.
And it was no laughing matter at the time, but Eetu Luostarinen missed nine games — after getting burned while barbecuing.
“I'd say we had some adversity,” Maurice said.
Add it all up, and Florida is likely going to finish the season with no more than eight players who dressed in last year's Cup-clinching win against Edmonton on the ice. The Panthers bent, bent, bent all season, and finally broke.
“They’ve been true to it," Maurice said, speaking of the team's culture. "And we’ve had some tough nights, but the bench has been right and they’re cheering for each other. They’re engaged in the game. They’re talking about the game. It’s just, you’re just not going to be able to produce, not going to be able to execute a whole bunch of things that you normally expect to.”
Put simply, the Panthers might just need a break.
They were in 67 playoff games over the last three seasons, the most in the NHL — and unbelievably, more than 17 other franchises played in that span combined. They've logged tons of miles, taken tons of hits and done it all with very short offseasons because their Cup runs kept stretching into June while non-playoff teams are done in April.
“I think we all know ... how good this hockey team is," Bennett said. “We know how good we're going to be when we have everyone healthy and everyone back. So, there’s obviously a ton of excitement, I think, in anticipation for next year.”
With good reason. Hockey operations president and general manager Bill Zito has had the vast majority of the core under contract for some time: Barkov, Tkachuk, Reinhart, Bennett, Marchand, Carter Verhaeghe, Jones, Ekblad, Gustav Forsling, Lundell, Rodrigues, Mikkola, Kulikov, Balinskis, Reinhardt and Jesper Boqvist are among those who are signed. The biggest question is at goalie, where Sergei Bobrovsky will be a free agent, but one who is believed to want to remain with the Panthers.
All that talk can wait, at least for a couple more weeks.
“We're just focused on this year,” Jones said after the loss Saturday.
Things, if the Panthers are lucky, should look very different next season. Or put another way, things could look like how they were in June 2024 and June 2025, when Florida won the Cup. The celebrations started like this: NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman would say a few words, then hand the Cup to Barkov, who would skate away and hoist.
The Panthers felt like that could have happened again this season. For about 20 minutes, anyway. It was at the 20-minute mark of the first full-team training camp practice where Barkov blew out the ACL and MCL in his knee.
“You know right away. Oh, you knew it was bad," Maurice said. “He's a tough one. He doesn’t go down lightly. It was as close to being at a funeral as there can be. The 19th minute, we are humpin', up and down the ice. And I’m taking it all in thinking, ‘Oh, we’re right there. These guys are focused, they’re fit, they’re pushing themselves. I’m not even yelling at them anymore.’ And then that happens.
“The next three days were a prolonged funeral service,” Maurice added. “We didn’t know it was going to be for our season.”
If the Panthers were in the playoff chase, Barkov might be playing now. If there was a Game 1 of Round 1 sometime in the next couple weeks, the expectation is Barkov would have been ready. And now, the Panthers will pivot to Game 1 of next season.
They won't be the defending Cup champions anymore. It might actually rekindle the desire to win it again.
“Bill Zito’s vision for this team has just been so bang on," Maurice said. "We have full faith in the vision that he has for the group, and the core is going to be here next year. We'll all be excited about that.”
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Florida Panthers goaltender Daniil Tarasov (40) defends the goal against Ottawa Senators left wing Fabian Zetterlund (20) during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Florida Panthers goaltender Daniil Tarasov (40) is congratulated after the Panthers defeated the Ottawa Senators in an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk skates on the ice after being named the first star of the game after an NHL hockey game against the Ottawa Senators, Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
