Silly Season 2019

[Franky]

This was only used for one or two practice sessions though I believe. (I know it's F1 but kind of interesting)

They ran it the entire 1999 season.

[Norm75]

They ran it the entire 1999 season.

Thanks, wasn't sure. Think it was before Dave Richards time there as well!

[tomhlord]

Citroen have Total and Abu Dhabi and now want RedBull aswell. And Still they discuss about 3rd car... They behave like they are not works team. M-Sport could use those kind of sponsorships to stay in the game.

Hit the nail on the head here. It's not just Total, Abu Dhabi and Red Bull, it's the Ostberg's too with OneBet and PMI on the cars (for example Breen in Spain) and paying Citroen to run Mads' car. Yet one rally win all season – I'm baffled about the ROI for those partners.

[Allez Andruet]

I'm baffled about the ROI for those partners.

Loeb's win in Catalunya probably got them more media time than any other victory in WRC in 2018.

[AnttiL]

Loeb's win in Catalunya probably got them more media time than any other victory in WRC in 2018.

Well I think Meeke's car park excursion in Mexico is still one of the most memorable and often shown moment of the whole 2017 WRC season.

EDIT: Obviously I'm wrong because you were talking only about the 2018 season. In that case I think you're right.

[Norm75]

Well I think Meeke's car park excursion in Mexico is still one of the most memorable and often shown moment of the whole 2017 WRC season.

Possibly the only time I've seen or heard anything rally related on British national news programme or radio broadcast, probably since Burns won the championship.
Don't even think Elfyns win at Wales rally GB made the national news, let alone a retired Frenchman winning a rally in Spain.

[er88]

Possibly the only time I've seen or heard anything rally related on British national news programme or radio broadcast, probably since Burns won the championship.
Don't even think Elfyns win at Wales rally GB made the national news, let alone a retired Frenchman winning a rally in Spain.

Yep, I remember Kris Meeke's drama/win being shown on BBC breakfast. Couldn't believe it.

[tomhlord]

Loeb's win in Catalunya probably got them more media time than any other victory in WRC in 2018.

Absolutely, and really positive stuff. But the sponsors aren't paying for just one rally.

[dodge33cymru]

can't do Sweden in a Toyota if Katsuta is in the fourth car.

Then get him in an R5 Fiesta!

[dodge33cymru]

Absolutely, and really positive stuff. But the sponsors aren't paying for just one rally.

They will do if it gets them enough coverage.

Hence teams will do the entire WEC just to be able to run Le Mans.

ROI isn't as simple as just winning again and again; it can be about stories and exposure. The stories like Meeke's off or TiTanak can be worth just as much as some wins. We might think some endeavours like Kubica were a failure but in the markets of his sponsors that car and livery were a household name.

Same with the value in the nationality of certain drivers. Norbert Michelisz is arguably the most valuable driver in WTCC/TCR because anything he achieves is huge news in Hungary because he's the only high profile driver there.

Off topic somewhat, but those are all examples of how winning races/rallies isn't the only way to generate column inches.

Regarding those sponsors, Red Bull's logos are on lots of things, I'm surprised more energy brands aren't into sports like this and endurance racing, but I guess that's because the audience average age is a bit older.

Total have been involved in plenty of French motorsport and the whole sport owes a lot to their backing. They sponsor far lower profile racing than WRC and have a strategy of being associated with any type of motorsport anyone thinks of. I'm a biased case, but compared to the likes of Esso, Total's brand has become massively more prominent over the last 20 years, thanks partially to a wide level of exposure.