The evolution of motorsport marketing using as a case study McLaren F1 Academy driver Bianca Bustamante and her Anastasia Beverly Hills sponsorship is part of this week’s look at the Business of Being a Race Driver.
There is also a look at authentic athlete branding, the revolutionary new all-electric karting series that is looking to drive the costs of racing down dramatically and what a NASCAR Cup champion earns from winning the title.
All this and more in this week’s Business of Being a Race Driver on Motorsport Prospects.
The Business of Racing
Is It Fast looks at the marketing behind McLaren F1 Academy driver Bianca Bustamante whom they call a trailblazer in the making.
“In a groundbreaking move that’s set to reshape the landscape of motorsports marketing, Anastasia Beverly Hills, a prominent makeup brand known for its high-quality cosmetics, is boldly entering the traditionally male-oriented motorsports world. The brand’s logo will be prominently featured on both the car and racing suit of 19-year-old driver Bianca Bustamante as she gears up to compete in the Macau Grand Prix this weekend. This partnership represents a significant departure from the norm in motorsports, where the major sponsors have historically been companies with a primary focus on male-targeted audiences. This bold move raises several questions about the motivations behind the sponsorship and the future implications for motorsports marketing.”
In the latest subscriber-only edition of On Racing Drivers by Terence Dove, Dove explains how you can connect with business’s and help them with their business goals and your sponsorship needs. “Business people are bored, and fed up. They need to be a part of your story, because racing drivers are extremely inspirational. What you have is needed!“
Charlotte Woods from The Brand Builders explains that athletes are people NOT commodities (and yes that applies to athlete branding, too).
The Charge Sponsorship agency explains how to get sponsorship by brands. While there is a sales pitch for Charge in the post, the information contained can be quite helpful in explaining the sponsorship acquisition process.
The Costs of Racing
Racing Prodigy’s first ever Prodigy week concluded with the crowning of Gustavo Ariel as the first-ever Racing Prodigy winner.
Prodigy Week wasn’t just about digital racing; it was an all-encompassing experience. The sim racers were put through a rigorous training regimen, covering a wide range of disciplines, including fitness, on-camera interviews, skid pad handling, autocross challenges, kart racing, data performance reviews, and, ultimately, competing in Radical SR1s on the main racetrack. Over the course of the event, they completed an astounding total of more than 850 laps, equivalent to more than 1,700 miles. These aspiring racers had the privilege of being coached and trained by a remarkable lineup of motorsport legends, including former F1, IndyCar, and NASCAR driver Max Papis, NASCAR and Indy 500 driver Boris Said, racing icon Randy Pobst, race car driver and engineer Andrew Carbonell, NASCAR driver Jesse Iwuji, NASCAR driver Connor Zilisch, and pro driver champion Kenton Koch.
“The exciting journey of these sim racers is far from over. Racing Prodigy has big plans for the future. They intend to host a second Prodigy Week in early 2024 to conclude Season 1 with a new class of Prodigy Pass winners, creating a pool of the world’s most talented drivers from which PRL teams will draft. These drafted racers will receive paid contracts to compete in PRL’s first real-world racing series in the United States, scheduled to launch in 2024.”
Ex-F1 engineer Rob Smedley has re-branded his Total Karting Zero electric karting series into the Global Karting League with the aim of democratizing motorsport on a global scale. The Global Karting League aims to cut the cost of aspiring racers’ karting careers by up to 96%, enabling a 1000-fold increase in participation and it seeks to create 50 national ‘hubs’ worldwide, the first being already operational in the UK.
He reckons a weekend of racing in GKL could amount to £300, meaning a 10-round championship would be less than £3k. “There is no arms race,” he adds. “So the only differentiator is not your wallet, but the kid in the kart. There’s no way you can buy an advantage.”
Still not what you’d call cheap, but his research shows that it could open up motorsport to 1,000 times more 6-to-17-year-olds. Apparently four million kids will go corporate karting (y’know, your classic arrive ‘n’ drive, birthday party stuff), but only 2,000 are registered outdoor karters in the UK. Sheesh.
Rob Smedley wants to make getting into F1 96 per cent cheaper…
Curious to know how much money a driver makes after winning the NASCAR Cup Series title? The SportsRush has you covered. “But the nearest estimate for the bonuses paid would be something between $2.5-$3 million. Additionally, the driver would also receive the amount stated in his contract, hence the total would often be higher. This is considering the fact that NASCAR’s contract with the teams includes a provision where a portion of the payout for each race is based on their performance over the past three years.”
Author: Mark Boudreau
Mark is the publisher of Motorsport Prospects. As a former 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.
