Identifying an ideal sponsor is just some of the advice featured in this week’s Business of Being a Race Driver. I also have a great free webinar you can attend this week, sponsorship strategies for North American racers in Europe and more.
The Business of Racing
From the Driver’s Point of View
Are you in motorsport for the right reasons? Do you have the motivation? In the video above, Enzo Mucci explains why this is critical to your success.
In an exclusive feature for Motorsport Prospects, law student Farah Irdina discusses the complexities and challenges of balancing her legal studies with her racing career and the never-ending quest to find sponsorship. You can read her thoughts here.
Megan Meyer of Motorsport Marketing Tips and Ken Ungar of Charge Sponsorship are holding a live titled “How Social Media Revs Up Racing Sponsorships.” It will be taking place on Wednesday, February 26th from 7-8 PM ET on Zoom.
What you’ll learn:
- How to structure your social media strategy so brands see real value in working with you
- The biggest social media mistakes racers make that cost them deals (and how to fix them)
- Why engagement beats follower count every single time—and how to increase yours fast
- Step-by-step strategies to pitch sponsors the right way
- + BONUS: Show up live and you’ll get a FREE Sponsorship Deck Template, designed by Ken. This is the same format top brands expect in a proposal, and I don’t sell deck templates—so this is your ONLY chance to get it.
If you want sponsors to start taking you seriously, you need to be at this webinar. You can register here.
One of the many challenges facing North Americans racing in Europe is how to attract sponsors from their native country when they are not racing at home. In the latest newsletter update as he prepares for his debut season in Formula 2, Max Esterson has outlined his approach.
In between all the different forms of training, I’ve been spending most of my waking hours trying to find new partners for 2025 and ’26, focusing on trying to find American businesses that could use my 28 races as business development client events or could benefit from growing their brands in Europe and the Middle East. I think we have put together a cost-effective entry point for a company who wants to enter the Formula 1 arena. While we are having good traction with a few companies, if anyone has any new ideas or introductions, we still have Associate, Primary and Title Sponsor slots available – please reach out to me.
From the Sponsor’s Point of View
In the video above, Tony Merritt, Vice President of Marketing & Sponsorships of Stanley Black & Decker (DeWALT, Craftsman, Stanley, Mac Tools, Black & Decker, etc.) explains how pass-thru rights create value for his customers that help them sell more product. Merritt was interviewed by Alex Striler at the 4th Annual Motorsports Sponsorship Summit on January 11, 2025.
Sponsorship has undergone a remarkable transformation, evolving at an extraordinary pace and reshaping the landscape in ways few could have anticipated. Today, the marketplace is growing and fiercely competitive, with over 10,000 professional and amateur teams, 2,000 fairs and festivals, 5,000 arts and entertainment events, 13,000 trade shows, 30,000 athletes and influencers, and 8,000 media entities all vying for attention through integrated sponsorships. Paula Beadle explains why now is the right time to think differently about sponsorship.
General Motorsport Marketing Advice & Resources
I was a recent guest on MotiV8 Training’s Motorsport Coaching Podcast. We discussed all manner of topics of interest to the current and aspiring race drivers, as well as their parents! You can listed to the podcast here.
Author: Mark Boudreau
Mark is the publisher of Motorsport Prospects. As a lawyer, he applies his legal background and research skills to assist race drivers by showcasing the resources they need to make their motorsport careers happen.
