Throughout the history of F1 we have witnessed glorious eras with true legends of the sport. The days of Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost and Gilles Villenueve have changed, and with them the world of sponsorship: there was no social media part to manage, and the media echo of the sport had profoundly different contours. The only way to get noticed and break through to the fans was to win, to end up on television, to become an idol, handsome and damned (James Hunt teaches). If you think about it, even in Micheal Schumacher ‘s time-and we are not talking about 50 years ago-there was no social media, and if he is still recognized as an F1 icon today, it is mainly because of the superlative results he achieved. An incredible champion, a unique talent, in many ways still unparalleled today.

As we said, times have changed, however, and the way of communicating and engaging fans is even more so. Performance clearly still matters, but drivers are increasingly being asked to be communication men as well.

The importance of image for sports marketing

The market revolving around Formula 1 (and not only, as this happens in many other sports disciplines as well) now requires its protagonists to adopt no small self-branding operation, considering the traffic of visitors from all over the world. Whether it is the simple fan or a potential customer, it matters little: the image that the driver builds in the eyes of the spectator is worth as much as the sports results, in some cases even more.

Its success and visibility are determined by so many aspects of sports marketing; in fact, the work does not begin and end only on race weekends, quite the contrary. Among the activities required of an F1 driver today is, for example, managing, curating and developing his or her social media. Of course, the driver is not expected to take care of this directly, but there needs to be someone who takes care of it on his or her behalf within the team or the driver’s management. Content creation, organization and management of branding and sponsorship campaigns are necessary so that the driver is also a perfect brand ambassador, meeting the needs of sponsors and partners (both team and personal) in the various marketing activities and activations of them. The engagements obtained from the stables are not the only source of income for a driver, to these are added sponsorships with companies that seek high visibility and mirror the values of the driver in question.

What has changed

In all this, it is not only social media that has sparked all the recent interest in the circus of one of the world’s most watched sports. Since the arrival of the “Drive to Survive” series on the Netflix streaming platform, all the main characters in the paddock have become real actors in a story with a cinematic slant. It was the addition of “drama” that made this product so palatable overseas: the entry of Miami and Las Vegas (from 2023) among the season’s races did not happen only because of contractual agreements, rather because of the strong U.S. interest that came about because of the emotional involvement the series aroused on the entire F1 world.

Well, but who then are the most influential drivers that companies should invest in? Here is our list, compiled not only based on results on the track, but also on what happens outside the circuit.

Max Verstappen

Son of former drivers Jos Verstappen and Sophie Kumpen-a family with four wheels in its blood. Not everyone knows that it was the mother who was the real talent at home. In fact, Sophie has a successful past driving karts at the professional level, where she gave most of the men a run for their money, going up against the likes of Giancarlo Fisichella, Jarno Trulli and Jenson Button.

The Dutchman was the youngest to compete in F1 at the Australian Grand Prix in 2015 with the Toro Rosso stable and then became the youngest to win a GP, in Spain in 2016 with RedBull. In 2021 he was crowned world champion after an epic battle with Lewis Hamilton that lasted until the last race of the season held in Abu Dhabi, becoming the first Dutchman to triumph in motorsport’s top series.

Driving

The defending champion has made himself famous for his old-fashioned style by not sparing himself at any opportunity. His aggressiveness sets him apart, leading him to achieve goals unthinkable before him. The incident with Hamilton at the 2021 Monza Grand Prix is iconic.

Without overalls

On Instagram he has 8.6M followers, with main activity on sporting events about him and flashes of his private life. Just enough to break into the hearts of the Orange, Dutch audience that follows him around the world during GPs. A big fan of video games, it is not uncommon to find him also competing in virtual driving competitions. His character is rather “Nordic”: cold blooded and zero transparency of emotions. He has never hidden frictions with rival teams and drivers, pointing out others’ mistakes in certain episodes during past seasons. On the media level, it is proper to mention his relationship with Kelly Piquet, daughter of Nelson (3-time F1 world champion in the 1980s).

Why invest in Max Verstappen

Currently, he represents excellence in terms of performance, wins and competitiveness. His team is in the top 3, he is a phenomenon, so we are at the highest level of prestige and visibility for any brand interested in F1.

Charles Leclerc

He made his F1 debut in 2018 with Sauber, Ferrari ‘s satellite team. He becomes the second-youngest pole-man in the history of the competition in 2019 in Bahrain, and in the same year he gets his first career victory, in the Belgian Grand Prix. He is presented with the first Ferrari drive after Sebastian Vettel’s departure, with a promise to climb to the highest roof of the standings someday and succeed with the Cavallino emblem printed on his chest.

Driving

The Monegasque has distinguished himself at an early age for his ability to adapt to track situations and push the vehicle at his disposal to the maximum. Numbers in hand, he possesses all the credentials to enter the history books of the sport and confirm his nickname “predestined.”

Without overalls

With his 7.5M followers on Instagram, he is one of the most beloved characters in the paddock on all fronts: Ferrari fans, Formula 1 fans, and by insiders. Even among drivers, despite the fact that it is common knowledge that “there are no friends on the track,” there is great respect for him. Even from Max Verstappen, an avowed rival since his karting days, several compliments have come. his activity does not stop only on social media but also spans other entertainment platforms such as Twitch, where in times of pandemic he opened a channel to interact with fans further improving his image and increasing his reach.

Why invest in Charles Leclerc

As with Max, we are talking about one of the most influential figures in the entire world sports scene. Investing on a sponsorship with his image allows to transfer his values to any brand, with the possibility of building marketing and communication campaigns of any kind. A case in point is Richard Mille, a leading luxury watch company that has believed in the Monegasque’s talent since his kart racing days. Today it enjoys confidential sponsorship agreements with the driver and a dedicated section on its website.

George Russell

After winning the Formula 2 championship in 2018 he landed at Williams the following year, where he took his first steps in the top series debuting at the Australian Grand Prix. He gets his first podium 2 years later in the Belgian GP and in 2022 becomes Lewis Hamilton’s teammate in Mercedes .

Driving

He has shown his talent even before taking part in the German team’s cause, he has no reverential fear of the more emblazoned Hamilton, who, indeed, puts points to hand in trouble by finishing the first 7 races in the top 5. The defense put on display in Barcelona against Verstappen is just one of the many specialties of the Briton, he proves on that occasion that to be strong one must also know how to “suffer.”

Without overalls

If he had not been a pilot, we would probably have known him in the guise of a famous English lord. His simple elegance, never over the top, gives him a regal and classic air, despite the fact that he is dealing with one of the riskiest and most adrenaline-pumping sports on the globe. With his 3.4M followers, he cares about maintaining his status as a racer always at a high level while also showing leisure moments of his life off the track.

Why invest in George Russell

As with the two previously mentioned pilots, we remain in an elite circle. Having the opportunity to work with such an impactful front man can only be the right choice for a brand that aims for sophistication, class, and performance.

Lando Norris

Remaining on British soil, Norris began his apprenticeship in minor four-wheel championships with excellent results, leading him to become an official tester for McLaren. Impressed by his talent, the stable offers him his first professional contract for a seat alongside Carlos Sainz in 2019. He achieves a series of important podiums in the following seasons, securing him a renewal that will tie him to the Woking-based outfit until 2025.

Driving

For the series “space for the young,” he also falls into the class of ’97-’98’-’99 prodigy, capable of playing his cards even against far more established drivers. He sinks the pedal when necessary and takes the risk of his choices with personality, even going against team orders if necessary (as happened in the 2021 Russian Grand Prix regarding the tire change before a predicted bad weather that cost him dearly).

Without overalls

His infectious smile and “good boy” attitude disregard results on the track. His positive influence makes him forgiving of everything. More than 5 million followers appreciate him for the spontaneity of a 23-year-old who still has everything to prove, but has already won in the hearts of his fans. This is evidenced by research compiled by Nielsen regarding fans’ appreciation of drivers, where McLaren ‘s first driver ranks second on the list (behind only Max Verstappen).

Why invest in Lando Norris

When you can position your name so well, the sports result is a plus. Investing on a sports sponsorship with Norris means success regardless of the unpredictable (defeats, retirements, etc.). Your stable’s historic branding never loses appeal in the eyes of a potential customer, making brand-related marketing easier to manage.

Daniel Ricciardo

After various experiences in cadet leagues, in 2011 he landed first as a test driver and then as an official driver in Toro Rosso for the next 2 years. Signing with Red Bull in 2014, where he achieved good results until 2018, he moved to Renaultfor the next 2 seasons. From 2021 he is under contract with McLaren alongside Norris.

Driving

Despite not achieving all that a career like his promised, he has carved out his own space in an increasingly competitive paddock. Certainly he will be remembered in those parts for winning the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in 2021, where the Australian grabbed a triumph that had been missing for McLaren for nine years.

Without overalls

At McLaren, they know how to keep a healthy environment despite the lack of success on the track. Daniel Ricciardo stands out for his strong personality. Sunny, friendly and witty are just some of the adjectives attributable to his persona. With nearly 7M followers on Instagram and 180k on LinkedIn (the only driver to have an active profile on this platform), his personal branding is one of the best within the sporting landscape.

Why invest in Daniel Ricciardo

His racing career will certainly not last forever, but for the class of ’89 it is just the beginning of a life in the spotlight. Smiling, positive, helpful, goliardic, always cheerful-his attitude lends itself perfectly to a variety of international brands of all levels and targets.

Pierre Gasly

He made his Formula 1 debut with Toro Rosso in 2017, then moved to Red Bull in 2019 alongside Max Verstappen. Unfortunately, he encounters several difficulties with the Austrian single-seater, and that same year he returned to his previous team, later renamed AlphaTauri, where he scored his first career victory during the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in 2020.

Driving

On more than one occasion he has proved to be a formidable opponent capable of giving even the drivers in the front rows a run for their money, thanks to his strong race management skills. He is also part of the generation of “golden boys” waiting for a more prestigious seat and, as in his case, more fortunate than in the past.

Without overalls

Cool, young, respectful, fair and … super digital: the Frenchman is in fact engaged in the sale of NFTs under his own name, available on a dedicated website. One example is the helmet made for the 2022 Miami Grand Prix. This makes him a character in step with the times and with a considerable audience, being at a quota of 3M followers.

Why invest in Pierre Gasly

For a brand on the cutting edge of economics/technology, it might prove to be a good choice to have a testimonial with these characteristics.

Lewis Hamilton

First driver by number of poles, podiums and wins in the history of the sport. Seven-time world champion as Micheal Schumacher. After a 6-year stint at McLaren where he won his first world title (the youngest in history to do so), he moved to Mercedes and began his climb to the Olympus of the most important Formula 1 drivers ever.

Driving

From a young age he has shown the ability to give very precise directions to his engineers regarding the desired set-up for his single-seater. Strategy, obsessive attention to detail and brazenness on the track have distinguished him over the years when he decided to leave nothing to his rivals.

Without overalls

A great deal of environmental and social spending is done to improve the living conditions of the underprivileged. After realizing the importance of social influence, he shifts from a rather direct and private communication to a more professional one, managed by a team of experts. With its 28.3M followers on Instagram, in terms of numbers it has no comparison with its peers.

Why invest in Lewis Hamilton

Unique. His image enjoys its own light, having undermined records in the sport that seemed destined to remain in the showcases of previous holders. This would be a sports sponsorship with one of the most globally influential figures, so it would have a definite media impact. If a brand is considering him, it must be aware of his huge passion for fashion and trends-his presence is so influential that he could be considered a trend-setter in this area and beyond.

Sponsoring Formula 1 drivers: how to do it

Those listed above are just a few of the drivers we recommend to our clients, but there are many in the motorsport landscape with whom you can implement a variety of effective sports sponsorship strategies that will benefit your company. For more than 25 years, RTR Sports Marketing has been building sponsorship programs for companies and brands that want to use Formula 1 and motorsport to effectively communicate with their customers

Want to learn more? Contact us now to receive a consultation according to your personal needs.