Ferrari and Rakuten Form Global Partnership for 2027
Ferrari has signed a multi-year global partnership with Japanese technology group Rakuten, set to begin on January 1, 2027. Under the agreement, Rakuten will become a team partner of Scuderia Ferrari HP in the telecommunications and e-commerce categories. The collaboration marks the first time a Japanese company will serve as a partner of the team in these two categories.
Rakuten Branding Will Appear on Ferrari Cars and Driver Suits
As part of the partnership, the Rakuten logo will appear on Ferrari Formula 1 cars, driver suits, and across various team working areas. The financial value of the agreement was not disclosed by the parties. While Rakuten operates across different fields such as e-commerce, financial services, and mobile communications, the new partnership will increase the company’s global visibility through Formula 1.
E-Commerce Collaboration Will Extend Beyond the Track
The agreement with Ferrari is planned to go beyond sponsorship visibility. In addition to its own digital ecosystem and e-commerce operations, Rakuten will explore new international business opportunities for Rakuten Symphony, which provides open network solutions for telecom operators and enterprise customers. The Formula 1 platform is expected to be used to establish new commercial connections and showcase the company’s technological capabilities.
Rakuten Chairman and CEO Mickey Mikitani stated that the partnership will provide a global platform to bring the company’s technological capabilities, digital ecosystem, and membership experiences to millions of Formula 1 and Ferrari fans around the world.
Ferrari Partnership Will Support Rakuten’s Global Technology Network
Ferrari Chief Racing Revenue Officer Lorenzo Giorgetti stated that the digital ecosystem built by Rakuten offers technological capabilities that can create new areas of value beyond the track. From 2027 onward, the two companies will evaluate new collaboration opportunities across different sectors, particularly e-commerce and telecommunications.
Rakuten Integrates Artificial Intelligence into Online Retail
Rakuten is also expanding its artificial intelligence investments across its e-commerce and retail operations. At the beginning of 2026, the company integrated an artificial intelligence tool called “Rakuten AI” into the Rakuten Ichiba mobile application. The system analyzes user needs through text, voice, and images and provides personalized product recommendations from approximately 500 million products. Separate from the Ferrari partnership, this artificial intelligence application forms part of Rakuten’s technology investments within its e-commerce ecosystem.