Monster Energy, created in 2002 by Hansen Natural (now Monster Beverage), built its growth on sports sponsorship: in 2025 the group had net sales of 8.29 billion dollars. In motorsport it has been a McLaren partner in F1 since 2024, after 14 years with Mercedes, and in MotoGP it has been title sponsor of the Yamaha factory team since 2019; on 29 May 2026 it announced its arrival at Aprilia, of which it will be title sponsor from 2027. Outside racing it has been UFC’s official energy drink since 2015.
Updated September 2026.
Monster Energy is an interesting case study, because it used sports sponsorship to climb to the top of the energy drink sector. Tune in to many sports and the three-claw logo is never far away: the Californian brand made authenticity its lever, and sport the way to speak directly to consumers. Let us look at how this strategy was born and how the portfolio has changed in recent years.
How Monster Energy built the brand through sport
The Monster Energy drink was created by Hansen Natural in April 2002. Its “rock and roll” image led the brand to focus much of its marketing on music, with emerging rock, rap and country artists. From this came the Monster Energy Outbreak Tour, launched in 2011: a club and theatre tour that the brand now describes as the largest national touring brand in the sector, and which has hosted artists such as Post Malone, Kendrick Lamar, Morgan Wallen, The Chainsmokers and 21 Savage.
The sports market was not always at the centre of the strategy, but today the portfolio is vast. In combat sports, on 12 February 2025 UFC and Monster announced the third consecutive renewal of a partnership that began in 2015: Monster remains the exclusive global official energy drink of UFC under a multi-year deal that both sides call the biggest in their history, without disclosing the value. In football, on 15 November 2022 Monster became official energy drink partner of Newcastle United under a multi-year deal that includes a digital presence at St James’ Park.
Monster Energy and motorsport today
MotoGP: from Valentino Rossi to Yamaha and Aprilia
In MotoGP the first big name was Valentino Rossi: in 2009 the brand signed a two-year deal with him, estimated by the press at 3.3 million dollars. In 2013 it became a sponsor of the Yamaha factory team, and since 2019 it has been the team’s title sponsor, replacing Movistar. In January 2026, at the launch of the V4 Yamaha, the team was still called Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP, with Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins, and Yamaha stressed a collaboration that goes beyond a decade and also covers MXGP and Supercross.
On 29 May 2026, during the Italian Grand Prix weekend at Mugello, Aprilia Racing and Monster Energy announced the first title sponsor in the history of Aprilia as a factory team since 2022: Monster will be main sponsor for the rest of 2026 and title sponsor from 2027, under a multi-year deal. For a reading of what this agreement means for the MotoGP market, read our analysis of the Monster-Aprilia deal; and to see how a deal like this is built in a sector such as energy drinks, look at the MotoGP sponsorship briefs for energy drinks, fintech and aftermarket.
Formula 1: from Mercedes to McLaren
In Formula 1 Monster was a Mercedes partner for more than 14 years, from 2010. On 29 November 2023 McLaren announced Monster as an official partner under a multi-year deal from the 2024 season: the brand appears on the helmets, race suits, caps and drinks bottles of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and works with the team on activations and original content. From 2026 Mercedes has a deal with PepsiCo. For the full picture of the cost of entering F1, read our guide to the cost of Formula 1 sponsorship.
The lesson for sponsors
The Monster Energy story shows that a sponsorship works when it becomes a partnership: content, events and products signed with athletes, not just a logo on a bike or a race suit. It also shows that a big sponsor’s portfolio rebalances over time: in 2024 it left Mercedes for McLaren and in 2026 it added Aprilia. To turn a deal into results you need concrete ideas for activation in motorsport.
RTR Sports Marketing has been building motorsport sponsorships since 1995.
Featured image: Lewis Hamilton, Jake Archibald, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0.
Sources: Monster Beverage, 2025 Form 10-K; Crash.net, Aprilia and Monster; MotoGP, Aprilia-Monster agreement; Yamaha, 2026 launch; Crash.net, Monster Yamaha title sponsor; Cycle News, Rossi and Monster; Sportcal, Monster moves to McLaren; GrandPrix247, Mercedes and PepsiCo; UFC, Monster renewal; Newcastle United, Monster Energy; PR Newswire, Monster Energy Outbreak Tour.
Frequently asked questions
Which motorsport teams does Monster Energy sponsor?
In F1 it has been an official McLaren partner since 2024, after more than 14 years with Mercedes. In MotoGP it has been title sponsor of the Yamaha factory team since 2019 and, since 29 May 2026, main sponsor of Aprilia, of which it will be title sponsor from 2027.
Since when has Monster Energy sponsored Yamaha in MotoGP?
Since 2013 as a sponsor of the factory team and since 2019 as title sponsor, replacing Movistar. In 2026 the team is still called Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP.
Is Monster Energy still a Mercedes sponsor in Formula 1?
No. After more than 14 years the partnership ended with the announcement of the McLaren deal on 29 November 2023. From 2026 Mercedes has a partnership with PepsiCo.
What did Monster Energy announce with Aprilia?
On 29 May 2026, at Mugello, Aprilia Racing and Monster announced a multi-year deal: Monster will be main sponsor for the rest of 2026 and title sponsor from 2027. It is Aprilia’s first title sponsor as a factory team, since 2022.
Is Monster Energy a UFC sponsor?
Yes, since 2015. On 12 February 2025 UFC and Monster announced the third consecutive renewal: Monster remains UFC’s exclusive global official energy drink, under a multi-year deal described as the biggest in the history of both sides.
