By Riccardo Tafà| Posted May 2, 2025 | In Formula E, Formula E
In a significant shift within the motorsport landscape, McLaren Racing has announced its departure from the Formula E Championship at the conclusion of the 2024–25 season. This decision, stemming from a strategic review of McLaren’s racing portfolio, aims to refocus the company’s efforts on its core programs, including Formula 1, IndyCar, and a forthcoming entry into the World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2027 .
For marketing professionals and sponsors engaged in motorsport, this development prompts a reevaluation of strategies and opportunities within the evolving landscape of electric racing.
McLaren’s exit from Formula E is not an isolated decision but part of a broader strategic realignment. The company seeks to concentrate on platforms that align more closely with its long-term objectives, particularly the pursuit of motorsport’s “Triple Crown”: victories at the Monaco Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans .
The Formula E team, operating under the NEOM McLaren banner, was established in 2022 following McLaren’s acquisition of the Mercedes EQ team. Despite achieving commendable results, including a notable victory at the São Paulo E-Prix with Sam Bird last season and a strong performance from rookie driver Taylor Barnard, the team will undergo a transition as McLaren withdraws its branding .
Sponsors currently affiliated with McLaren’s Formula E team will need to navigate the transition as the team seeks new ownership and potentially rebrands. This shift presents both challenges and opportunities for maintaining brand visibility and alignment with team values and performance.
The evolving landscape opens avenues for sponsors to engage with other teams within Formula E or explore opportunities in McLaren’s other racing endeavors, such as their upcoming WEC program. Aligning with teams that match a sponsor’s brand ethos and target audience remains paramount.
The departure of a prominent team like McLaren may influence the dynamics of audience engagement and media coverage within Formula E. Sponsors must assess how these changes impact their return on investment and consider strategies to maximize exposure and engagement in the new context.
While McLaren’s exit is a notable development, Formula E continues to demonstrate resilience and growth. The series boasts commitments from major manufacturers, including Porsche, Jaguar, Nissan, Stellantis, and Yamaha, ensuring a competitive and diverse grid .
Formula E’s unique positioning as a platform for electric mobility and sustainability continues to attract a global audience, offering sponsors a compelling avenue to showcase innovation and environmental responsibility.
Sponsors with a focus on sustainability can leverage Formula E’s commitment to electric mobility to reinforce their environmental initiatives and connect with eco-conscious consumers.
Formula E’s urban race locations and emphasis on accessibility provide sponsors with opportunities to engage diverse and younger demographics, expanding brand reach and relevance.
Collaborations that highlight technological advancements in electric mobility can position sponsors at the forefront of innovation, aligning with Formula E’s cutting-edge image.
McLaren’s departure from Formula E marks a significant transition within the series, prompting both challenges and opportunities for sponsors. By proactively adapting strategies and exploring new partnerships, sponsors can continue to thrive within the dynamic and evolving landscape of electric motorsport.
As Formula E progresses into its next chapter, the series remains a vibrant platform for brands to engage with global audiences, champion sustainability, and drive technological innovation.
At RTR Sports, we specialise in Formula E sponsorship, as well as Formula 1 sponsorship and WEC sponsorship. Contact us today to start your Formula E journey.
Experience the power and put your brand in front of millions with motorsport sponsorship. Whether it's Formula 1, MotoGP, NASCAR, IndyCar, or WEC, RTR Sports give your brand the opportunity to appear on television at the most prestigious race tracks in the world.
Sponsor a motorsport team today
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.
The online platform where you can discover the latest trends, strategies and insights from the exciting world of sports marketing.
View our blog
August 28, 2025
The Case for China: More Than Just a Big Market When executives discuss growth, the conversation often turns to “new markets.” For years, companies expanded into Europe, then Nort[...]
Read More
June 11, 2025
On June 9, 2025, the FIA and Formula E unveiled the provisional calendar for the twelfth 2025-2026 season, the most extensive ever with 18 races at 12 venues, including debuts in Miami and Ma[...]
Read More
January 16, 2025
Sponsorships are critical to the success of any sporting discipline, and the Formula E is no exception. By providing financial and/or technological support to both the championship organizati[...]
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 motorsport sponsorship 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. Motorsport 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.
Motorsport 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 motorsport sponsorship agency like RTR has an objective, 360-degree picture of the scenario and can tell you what is really best for you: which racing series, 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 motorsport 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 motorsport marketing project, you need an agency that knows how to use sponsorship to engage the fanbase online, 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 motorsport 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 blog
October 20, 2025
Apple TV+ is set to become the exclusive broadcaster of Formula 1 in the United States starting in 2026, under a five-year contract worth an estimated $750 million. This agreement represents [...]
Read More
October 8, 2025
The equation that is changing sports marketing Imagine you are sitting in your company’s boardroom. On the table, the sports sponsorship budget for 2026. The question you are asking &nd[...]
Read More
October 1, 2025
Formula 1 as a marketing platform for car manufacturers Since its very inception, Formula 1 has been more than just a sporting contest. For car manufacturers, it has long served as a high-sta[...]
Read More
