Are you willing to sponsor?
Are you ready to explore the transformative power of athlete sponsorship for your brand? Click here to learn more about how sponsorship can help brands grow and thrive in the exciting world of motorsports.
By Emanuele Venturoli| Posted June 25, 2024 | In MotoGP, Motorsports, Sport Sponsorship, Sports Marketing
In an ambitious leap toward a more sustainable and competitive future in motorsport, former Formula 1 driver Nick Heidfeld and former Mahindra Formula E team boss Dilbagh Gill have launched a new electric racing series called FG Series. This project, initially conceived as ACE Championship, has evolved significantly reflecting the duo’s vision of creating a competitive and environmentally friendly racing platform.
The FG Series is designed with a two-tiered structure, featuring a single vehicle, theFG-Twin, which will serve both the entry and professional categories, named FG2 and FG1, respectively. TheFG-Twin, a creation of renowned designer Daniel Simon, is distinguished by its modular design, capable of operating in bothrear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The powertrain is all-electric, offering up to 350kW peak power, with performance levels tailored to the needs of FG1 and FG2 racing.
FG2, the entry category, is geared toward nurturing young talent and providing a training ground for drivers who aspire to advance in their motorsports careers. FG1 , on the other hand, is aimed at experienced drivers, with higher power levels, greater downforce and more configuration flexibility for more advanced competitions.
At the core of the FG Series innovation is the advanced design and technology integration of theFG-Twin. The car will include digital screens that show real-time data such as battery levels and race positions to both spectators and the TV audience, enhancing the viewing experience. This live ‘infotainment’ integration aims to bridge the gap between the sport and its fans by providing a more engaging and informative experience.
The design of the FG-Twin is not only about performance, but also about aesthetics. Simon’s design philosophy infused the car with a futuristic look, inspired by elements of science fiction and modern automotive styling. This attention to detail ensures that theFG-Twin is both a high-performance machine and a visual spectacle, attractive to riders and fans alike.
The FG Series benefits from the collaboration and experience of several key partners. QEV Technologies, a Spanish company with extensive experience in Formula E, will play a key role in the technical development of theFG-Twin. Their involvement ensures that the FG Series will use cutting-edge electric vehicle technology while maintaining high standards of performance and reliability.
Nick Heidfeld, co-founder and chief sporting officer, brings extensive experience from his career in Formula 1 and Formula E. His vision for the FG Series is to create a platform where talent from around the world can pursue their motorsport ambitions. Heidfeld’s collaboration with Simon in the design of the car has been a driving force behind the innovative features and aesthetic appeal of the FG-Twin. Dilbagh Gill, with his extensive experience in managing teams and operations in motorsport, complements Heidfeld’s motorsport expertise. Together, they form a dynamic leadership team committed to pushing the boundaries of electric racing.
The FG Series is set to debut in 2025, with preparations for the first races already underway. The series aims to provide a sustainable and competitive alternative to traditional motorsport, aligning with global trends toward greener technologies. Focusing on electric powertrains and advanced vehicle designs, the FG Series is intended to appeal to a new generation of drivers and fans who prioritize sustainability without compromising the excitement and thrill of racing.
Heidfeld and Gill’s vision goes beyond just racing. The ambition is to create a comprehensive ecosystem that supports driver development, team sustainability and fan engagement. The FG Series’ innovative approach, from car design to race format, reflects a holistic vision of the future of motorsport.
Beyond the press releases and the futuristic vision of Heidfeld and Gill, the real question for the FG series, or Formula G as it may be, is whether there is market space for a new series in open-wheel racing. The overwhelming power of
Formula 1
, the great American success of Formula Indy and the growth if unproven hiccups of the
Formula E
seem to close the way for a new project.
The year 2025 is around the corner, and despite the beauty of some of the solutions-such as side displays and a single chassis for multiple series-it is difficult to date to think that cars that are ultimately very similar to a Formula E can warm the hearts of fans and the wallets of sponsors.
In this sense, it might be useful to use the FG series as a companion or opening series to Formula E, running them if possible on the same weekend and making them what Moto3 and Moto2 are to the
MotoGP
, that is, a sequential run. Issues of intellectual property, agreements with the circuits, and logistics and costs could put the mark against this assumption.
Of interest remains the mission of sustainability, not so much the green one but the more monetary one of building an economic path toward the development of professional drivers and the concept of “one size fits all” cars that can adapt to different championships with the same technical base.
Are you ready to explore the transformative power of athlete sponsorship for your brand? Click here to learn more about how sponsorship can help brands grow and thrive in the exciting world of motorsports.
A graduate in Public, Social and Political Communication from the University of Bologna, he has always been passionate about marketing, design and sport.
The online platform where you can discover the latest trends, strategies and insights from the exciting world of sports marketing.
View our blogJanuary 9, 2025
We are pleased to publish on our pages the interview with our Associate Director Silvia Schweiger by Matteo Senatore on the KTM crisis that appeared in Formula Passion. Read the original ital[...]
Read MoreJanuary 7, 2025
Motorsport marketing is a dynamic and multifaceted field that combines global outreach, sponsorship strategies, fan engagement, and technology to promote racing series and their associated br[...]
Read MoreDecember 16, 2024
How much does it cost to sponsor a MotoGP Team or a MotoGP rider? MotoGP sponsorship can cost from around €50,000 up to €15 million, with a range of factors depending on market[...]
Read MoreIn an era where it is possible to get anywhere with a click, there is a strong temptation to approach teams and properties directly for sponsorship projects.
By doing so, we are convinced that we are shortening the value chain, saving time and money. However, these DYI methods are anything but risk-free and what initially appears to be a competitive advantage soon turns into a problem that is difficult to resolve. That’s why there are agencies. And this is why you should rely on us for your sponsorships.
When first approaching a sponsorship or sports marketing project, it is difficult to know immediately which stakeholders are correct, what the decision flow is, and what the right timelines are for each process. Sports is a very specialized field of action, and fitting effectively into its paths can take a lot of time and therefore money. We, on the other hand, know referents and spheres of action and know who to talk to, when and how. So you are also more effective.
Sports is an immense passion, and for our heart colors we would be willing to do anything. But business is a different business, and it is important to make the best possible strategic decisions based on independent research, statistics and reliable data. A sports marketing and sports sponsorship agency like RTR has an objective, 360-degree picture of the scenario and can tell you what is really best for you: which sport, which athlete, which team. This is because we possess a great deal of data and information on ratings, segmentation and attitudes. Because the numbers don’t lie. Never.
Activations are the real heart of sports sponsorship. Without them, there remains only a blank sticker on a motorcycle, car or uniform and no contact with the public, no emotional connection, no impact on the bottom line. Then how do you do it? It certainly won’t be the teams or the athletes who will help you leverage sponsorship and enjoy the many marketing rights you have paid for. To bring out the best in a sports marketing project you need an agency that knows how to use sponsorship to engage the fanbase on the Web, to reach out to Shopping Centers, to organize hospitality, to develop B2B and B2C opportunities, and to get “your” athletes in front of millions of potential consumers.
Would you ever go to the dealer who sold you the car and ask if the competitor’s car is better? No, of course. So, how do you expect to get firm measurements of the effectiveness of your sponsorship if you do not rely on someone super partes? At RTR, we have always worked with independent third-party agencies that allow us to know the return on any exposure of your brand on TV and in the media. In addition, we believe in calculating ROI as the ultimate measure of your success-so we can tell you for every penny you spend how much you are making.
We have been involved in sports sponsorship and sports marketing for more than 15 years. We are consultants in the sense that our goal is to maximize your investment, but we are also an agency that manages the project from start to finish. We have been doing this since 1995 with passion and professionalism, following three principles that have become cornerstones of our business: independence, verticality and transparency.
I would like to highlight the fact that one of the qualities of RTR is its great ability to approach the sponsorship scenario strategically, together with its passionate attitude, its amazing enthusiasm for solving problems, and its high level of professionalism.
Gianluca Degliesposti
Executive Director Server&Storage EMEA
Eurosport is truly delighted with its business relationship with Riccardo Tafà, who has become extremely popular, thanks to his detailed knowledge of the sports marketing sector and his highly diligent attitude to work.
Francois Ribeiro
Commercial Director
Passion and Expertise are the features that I have found in RTR since the very beginning. Serious and reliable professionals but also very helpful, nice and open-mind people, willing to listen and compare different ideas. All the values in which RTR believes make this agency a partner, not just a supplier, a partner with whom we have had the opportunity to achieve significant commercial results in term of success and image.
Luca Pacitto
Head of Communication
We have been working with RTR Sports Marketing for over 10 years. The objectives and the programmes of collaboration continue to be renewed and to grow with mutual satisfaction. I believe RTR is a team of great professionals led by Riccardo Tafà, who I consider a manager of exceptional skills and with a great passion for his work.
Lucio Cecchinello
Team Principal
I have known and worked with Riccardo Tafà since 1995 when we collaborated for the first time on a project for the Williams Formula 1 team. Several clients followed. After leaving Williams to work for Gerhard Berger then owner of the Toro Rosso F1 Team, I turned again to Riccardo to seek his help in finding a tool supplier for the team and Riccardo duly obliged with an introduction to USAG, a partnership with Toro Rosso which endured for five years. I recently started a new role as Group Commercial Director for the renowned Andretti Autosport organisation and I find myself working with Riccardo once again on a number of interesting projects. Why has this relationship with Riccardo endured ? He’s smart, knows the commercial side of sport inside out and back to front and he’s honest and trustworthy. Riccardo Tafà is a “doer” not a “talker”: in over 20 years I have never had a dispute either with him or with a company that he has introduced and each partnership introduced by Riccardo has delivered quantifiable ROI to rights holder and sponsor alike. I can think of no better testimonial of Riccardo’s diligence, knowledge, contact base and hard work than that.
Jim Wright
Group Commercial Director
The online platform where you can discover the latest trends, strategies and insights from the exciting world of sports marketing.
View our blogFebruary 3, 2025
Formula 1 is a sport that combines technology, precision engineering and performance at the limit, and it often raises questions even about aspects that seem taken for granted in the world of[...]
Read MoreFebruary 3, 2025
The recent sponsorship agreement between Alpine and the Yamaha Pramac MotoGP team has captured the attention of motorsport insiders and fans, marking a significant shift in the industry&rsquo[...]
Read MoreFebruary 2, 2025
Formula 1 single-seaters are equipped with power steering, a system that facilitates steering by reducing the effort required from the driver. This component is critical for handling the high[...]
Read More