An hour before MS Italia --> the real source of the rumour came with a much more reliable article: Formula Hu.
https://formula.hu/f1/2023/08/02/exkluz ... j-nevadoja
Translated a piece:
Exclusive: Could a legendary fashion brand be the new name of AlphaTauri?
Hugo Boss in pole position?
During the weeks-long joint investigation of RacingNews365 and Formula.hu, we learned that there are several possible scenarios regarding the future of the smaller team,
but the most likely is that the place of the fashion brand will be taken over by another, much larger fashion brand, namely Hugo Boss.
Hugo Boss has a significant history in F1: the brand was a sponsor of McLaren for three decades, including the most successful period in the team's history. They were in an alliance with Mercedes from 2015 to 2017, then left the premier category and briefly focused on Formula E, from which they returned this year as a partner of Aston Martin. The driving force behind the current involvement in F1 – and the expected expansion – is CEO Daniel Grieder, who has been in charge of Hugo Boss since the summer of 2021.
In the course of our investigations, we contacted the press department of Hugo Boss several times, from which we usually received the same answer: "Our brand, Boss, is currently and will continue to be the fashion partner of the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team. Beyond that, we cannot make any further statements regarding the questions asked."
The position is firm, but it is worth noting when reading between the lines: the communiqué does not categorically deny the suggestion that the brand might be preparing to expand its presence in F1 by becoming the eponymous supporter of another team. At Red Bull, we received the same answer to several inquiries: the decision has not yet been made and there is no need to rush it.
According to our informants, there is also an alternative, namely from Central Europe: the logo of the Polish oil company Orlen, which is also connected to Saudi Aramco, can still be seen on the overalls of Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo, on the AT04 racing car, and on other surfaces of the team, and the company is said to be open to deepen cooperation.
According to industry sources, the company - which is currently the "main partner" of the team in Faenza - would also be willing to step forward as a name sponsor, negotiations in this regard are said to have taken place. According to the rumors heard in the whirlwind of the paddock, it is also inconceivable that the German fashion brand and the oil company will have a significant role in the team at the same time. We sent our questions to the Polish oil company, but they have not yet responded to our inquiry.
Since the renaming of an F1 team can be realized as a result of a more complex process, according to the experts interviewed by RacingNews365 and Formula.hu, the decision cannot be postponed for too long. If they want the Faenza team to enter the ring with a new name and financial background in 2024, the decision must be made no later than the end of summer, the beginning of the autumn period, roughly the height of September, so that there is enough time for everything.
Although as others have mentioned its not really legal to copy, but how do they prove with the complex CAD software etc and being able to see photos such as the floor of the RB19 like when Perez exposed it they are not just drawing inspiration from the RB19. Going to be interesting to see how it all works out given Marko said they want to align the new rebranded team more closely with RBR.