From Gresini to Aston Martin: How the BK8 News MotoGP and Formula One Deals Compare

BK8.io is the crypto casino from BK8, and in the space of nineteen months BK8 News, the BK8 sports news brand, went from MotoGP to Formula One. In February 2025 it became title sponsor of Gresini Racing's MotoGP team for two seasons. On 1 October 2026 it became a Global Partner of the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team, with a term that runs through 2027 and beyond. The two deals are different in kind: the first put the BK8 News name into the team's official title, while the second puts it on the car without any naming rights. This piece sets the two side by side.

The timeline

Four dated announcements trace the path. On 24 February 2025, Gresini Racing announced that its MotoGP team "will officially be known as BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP", with BK8 News as title sponsor for the 2025 and 2026 seasons. On 31 January 2026, BK8 News hosted the team's 2026 presentation in Kuala Lumpur, the first time the team had launched there. On 22 April 2026, the BWF named BK8 News Presenting Partner of the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals. And on 1 October 2026, Aston Martin Aramco announced BK8 News as a Global Partner, with the branding on the car at Sepang that same weekend.

Those are all BK8 News deals. They sit apart from the agreements signed under the BK8 name itself, such as the BWF official betting partnership announced in April 2025 and the football club deals of earlier seasons, which are set out on the BK8 sponsorships page.

Title sponsor in MotoGP

A MotoGP title sponsorship puts the sponsor's name into the team's entry. Gresini Racing's announcement said that "starting today" the team would be known as BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP, and that is the name the championship's own team listings use. Beyond the naming rights, the team listed the placements: the Ducati Desmosedici GP24, the riders' racing suits, the team uniforms, the garage panels and the transport vehicles. Gresini called it "the largest partnership to date for BK8 NEWS", and SportsMint Media reported the same terms four days later.

The deal went further than a logo in its second year. When the team presented its 2026 colours in Kuala Lumpur, MotoGP.com reported that the event was "hosted by title sponsor BK8 News". In the team's release, carried by Roadracing World, the managing director of BK8 News said that "we are not involved only as a title sponsor". The full story of the partnership is told in the report on how the BK8 Gresini Racing partnership came about.

Global Partner in Formula One

The Formula One deal works differently. The team's announcement gives BK8 News the Global Partner title, with branding on the rear wing end plate of the AMR26 and an onboard presence, plus extra branding on the car's fin for the first weekend only. The team's name does not change. Aramco is the team's Title Partner, and the entry stays the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team. On the team's partner page, BK8 News appears under the heading "Global Partner".

The term is longer than the MotoGP one, at least as announced: the team refers to initiatives running "throughout the 2027 Formula One season and beyond", which Sportscape Magazine repeated on 8 October. SportsMint Media reported that the financial terms were not disclosed. The announcement and the first race weekend are covered in the report on BK8 News becoming a Global Partner of Aston Martin Aramco.

The two deals side by side

What the two deals have in common

Both carry the BK8 News name rather than the casino or sportsbook brand, and both were described by BK8 News in terms of content and access for fans, not betting. At the Gresini signing, its managing director spoke of "bringing fans closer to the action with exclusive insights and behind-the-scenes access". At Aston Martin he spoke of "providing new perspectives and access, and telling the stories behind the team". The BWF presenting role in April 2026 followed the same pattern, as a media partnership around the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals rather than a betting one, set out in the report on the BK8 News presenting partnership. Motorsport is also not one of the sports listed on the BK8.io sportsbook, so neither deal is a route into a betting market.

What comes next

The two deals now run on different clocks. The Gresini title sponsorship was announced for the 2025 and 2026 seasons, and no source has yet stated a term beyond the Valencia finale on 29 November 2026; the team has confirmed a new rider pairing for 2027 under the BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP name, but not the sponsor's term. The Aston Martin agreement is announced to run through 2027 at least. If BK8 News confirms a third year with Gresini, it would for the first time carry its name in both championships at once. This site will report any extension with its date and source.