Getting That First Motorsport Sponsor

Getting that first motorsport sponsor is key and this week on The Business of Being a Race Driver you will get advice from pros that have been there. You will also learn why legal advice is important before signing a contract plus more motorsport sponsorship advice!

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The Business of Racing

Finding Your First Sponsor

Sponsors make the racing world go round. Finding and developing partner relationships is crucial to moving up the racing ladder. This video from SafeisFast features Earl Bamber, Frederik Vesti, Roman De Angelis, Zacharie Robichon, Max Hesse and Dan Harper.

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Can You Get Sponsorship Without Big TV Numbers?

Jess Shanahan of The Racing Mentor is very clear. It is absolutely possible to provide value to businesses at any level of motorsport regardless of the TV coverage. She explains why here.

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The Game of Progress and Getting the Life You Want

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Channeling Pressure into Growth – Interview with Amanda Sorensen

Paddock Sorority talks to off-road racer and drifter Amanda Sorensen about her career so far and her advice to women in motorsport. “The industry is changing now, and women in motorsport are very relevant. There’s a lot of support that you can find from brands. Previously, it was very hard to find the funding as a female driver.”

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Coming to the Podcast Next Week

Ken Ungar from the Charge Sponsorship Agency is my guest on next week’s Motorsport Prospects Podcast and he offers some important advice to drivers who want to set themselves apart from other racers as they search for sponsors. The episode drops Wednesday, February 4th at noon EST.

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Beyond the Deliverables

What does a major brand like AMSOIL actually look for in a racer? In this episode, we sit down with Sara Oettinger, Marketing Manager at AMSOIL, to pull back the curtain on high-level motorsports marketing. Sara shares why traditional “gold, silver, and bronze” sponsorship packages are a thing of the past and explains how racers can become true extensions of a brand’s marketing team.

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The Brand Visibility Myth

The Driveline Sponsorship agency looks at something they call the brand visibility myth. “Corporations do not buy « exposure » in junior series. They buy financial and strategic assets. When you ask for €10k, you must demonstrate how it returns €20k in value to their bottom line.”

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Advice From McLaren v Alex Palou

While some may consider contracts in motorsport with skepticism, the penalties of not living up to your contractual obligations can be severe as the McLaren vs Palou case demonstrate. It is absolutely critical that you have a competent lawyer review any contract you are thinking of signing and to be aware of the impact that any breeches could have on your career.

“Then came the Palou case, and a significant frustration within McLaren is that it even reached such a stage. Had the Spaniard voiced his uncertainties earlier in 2023, team sources insist it would have at least had time to try and react to his change of mind, rather than being first informed on 8 August. Final confirmation of the breach came on 21 August, 20 days before the final round of the IndyCar season at Laguna Seca.”

I would urge you to become familiar with cases like this so you understand the importance of understanding what you are signing and to be fully transparent if your intentions change. I will have a number of lawyers appearing on upcoming episodes of the Motorsport Prospects Podcast that will no doubt emphasize this fact. Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss out!

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