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By Riccardo Tafà| Posted May 17, 2016 | In MotoGP, MotoGP
Gran Premio d’Italia: Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Campaign to Mugello
Gran Premio d’Italia is coming: Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Campaign to Mugello. After securing the second consecutive Yamaha 1-2 of the season during a very successful weekend at Le Mans, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi are ready to shine at the ‘Autodromo del Mugello’ track during Sunday’s Gran Premio d’Italia.
Barberino del Mugello (Italy), 18th May 2016
Following a perfect race in Le Mans, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi are eager to meet the Italian fans in Mugello during this weekend‘s Italian Grand Prix, which is the team‘s first home Grand Prix of the season, as its headquarters is based in Gerno di Lesmo.
Following his flawless race in Le Mans, Lorenzo has taken over the lead in the championship standings and the Mallorcan is determined to still brandish his number one ranking when leaving the Italian track on Sunday evening. Lorenzo has fought many sensational battles at Mugello before and is one of the best scoring premier class riders at the Tuscan track. The five-time World Champion boasts a seven-consecutive MotoGP podium streak, consisting of fo ur wins in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, and three second places in 2009, 2010, 2014. He also took first place in the 250cc class in 2006 and a 250cc second place in 2005.
Teammate Rossi also knows the challenging circuit inside out and can‘t wait to delight the Italian crowd with another fierce battle for a top result and continue the climb up from his current third place in the championship standings. The nine-time World Champion will give his all to stand on top of the podium this weekend and add another victory to his previous record of seven back-to-back premier class victories at Mugello from 2002 to 2008. Besides this amazing achievement the Doctor also has two third places written to his name, for his efforts in 2009 and 2014, together with a 250cc win in 1999 and second place in 1998, as well as a 125cc win in 1997.
The 5245m historic Mugello track is located just 30km from Firenze and hosts one of the most popular and spirited motorsports events of the year, drawing thousands of enthusiastic spectators. Having hosted its first MotoGP back in 1976, the track was bought by Ferrari in 1988 before becoming a permanent fixture in 1991 after extensive refurbishment. Set within the beautiful Tuscany hills, the circuit‘s lay-out, a mixture of fast and slow turns and a 1141m long straight, make the track much beloved amongst riders and spectators, who are never shy to cheer on their favourite riders and teams.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI
TEAM DIRECTOR
We are heading to Mugello, our first home race of the season, and the team can‘t wait to get started. The circuit‘s layout is very nice, with a good mixture of uphill and downhill sections and slow and fast corners, which suits our bike. Both our riders really enjoy riding here, as is shown in the great results they secured here in the past, and we are looking forward to being part of another great battle this weekend. As always it will be important to hit the ground running in the first session in order to prepare for the race in the best way possible. Let’s make it another great occasion to remember in front of the Italian fans!
JORGE LORENZO
MOVISTAR YAMAHA MOTOGP RIDER
“We arrive in Mugello with the great satisfaction of the last race in France. At Le Mans we got an important victory and we are leading the championship so we are pretty motivated for the coming races, especially the one in Mugello, a track that I usually enjoy a lot and where I‘ve had some fun in the past. It‘s one of my favourite places to ride and one of the most beautiful tracks in the world. The lay-out is perfect for the YZR-M1 and for my riding style as well so let‘s see what happen this season with the new electronics and tyres”.
VALENTINO ROSSI
MOVISTAR YAMAHA MOTOGP RIDER
“I love Mugello and its atmosphere. It’s very difficult for me to keep my concentration here because there are always so many of my friends and fans around, but the Mugello race is also special for me for that reason. I‘ve had some victories here, many great battles and a lot of good memories. I think this year we can be competitive because our bike is good and I‘m getting into a good shape. At the Le Mans GP we arrived late at achieving the right set up for the race, at Mugello we will not make this mistake again. After Le Mans I‘m relaxed and now I‘m ready to try to attain the maximum level of concentration for the Mugello GP”
YAMAHA MOVISTAR PRESS RELEASE
Riccardo Tafà
Managing Director for RTR Sports, Riccardo graduated in law at the University of Bologna. He began his career in London in PR, then started working in two and four-wheelers. A brief move to Monaco followed before returning to Italy. There he founded RTR, first a consulting firm and then a sports marketing company which, eventually, he moved back to London.
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Read MoreWhy choose RTR Sports Marketing
In 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.
Save time and money
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.
The right information, the right choice
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 beating heart
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.
Objective measurements for a certain return
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.
Sit back, relax, we’ll take care of it
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
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