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 July 24, 2019 | In MotoGP, Sport Sponsorship, Sports Marketing
What to do, what to expect, how to get organised if you are given a VIP Pass for one of the most beautiful Gp’s in the world: the San Marino race, aka Misano.
Reading these lines? I bet you will soon receive a VIP Pass for the MotoGP VIP Village. The VIP Village, which is deemed to be one of the best sports hospitalities worldwide, is the flagship of MotoGP corporate services. At the MIsano circuit, it is a high-end facility placed at the end of the main straight. From the standpoint of services, it also represents the most comprehensive and exclusive package of the Motorcycle Racing World Championship. Whether you are a motorcycle lover or merely a curious visitor, spending a couple of days at the most exciting show in the motor sports series is an incredible experience. Get ready for memorable days and follow the hints below to live your VIP village experience at best.
[sc_fs_faq sc_id=”fs_faqt07edmk6n” html=”false” headline=”p” img=”” question=”What is the MotoGP Vip Village?” img_alt=”” css_class=”” ]The MotoGP Vip Village is the most exclusive hospitality package of the MotoGP world championship. It includes excellent venues, food, and entertainment with paddock tours and pitlane walks.[/sc_fs_faq]The VIP Village is the best place to enjoy the show of MotoGP, and the backstage, and to relax in the comfort of a magical place. Curious to know what is out there waiting for you? Have a look at the very rich and event-filled day schedule, which is just one click away (link). The document in the link shows the on-track activity times and the schedule of events in the VIP Village. Some activities such as the paddock tour are flexible, whereas others are not, the pit lane walk for instance. We recommend that you arrive just in time for VIP Village opening at 8:30 a.m. to watch all on-track activities before the pit lane walk at 11:50 a.m. on Saturday and at 10:05 a.m. on Sunday. Check out the lunch times, as well. You will have the chance to taste the titbits of the chefs whenever you wish, but in time not to miss the MotoGP FP4 at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday and the start of the major class at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
MotoGP bikes are masterpieces of technology with a horse power potential up to 300 HP, meaning they can run as fast as 350 Km/h along a straight stretch of track. Their roaring engines are music to motor lovers, but the risk is that good music too may be annoying sooner or later. Although the rooms of the VIP Village are sound-proofed, we recommend that you do not overexpose your ears to the singing of the two-wheelers. If you have a pair of earplugs at hand, wear it and you will be saved a one-night-long headache. Protect you hearing and do not be afraid of looking like novices: riders, technicians, mechanics and engineers too constantly wear noise-cancelling headphones and plugs.
The recommendation below may read trivial, but it is very important. Motor sports are practised outdoors and they have eventually come to terms with the weather: if it is sunny, fine! And if it rains, never mind! The VIP Village is, of course, indoors and air conditioned (heated in winter and chilled in summer). However, activities such as the paddock tour and the pit lane walk take place outdoors and irrespective of the caprices of weather. Be aware that the pit lane walk, the paddock tour and any other side experiences will take place “come rain or shine” and, although you are free to decide whether to join them or not, you should remember that they will not be rescheduled.
Although the VIP Village is away from any other area in the circuit, you will on many occasions come across a feasting and noisy crowd, often dressed in yellow and quite picturesque clothes. They are part of the show and normally surprise visitors with flashy posters and goliardic expedients.
While taking a stroll in the paddock or in the pit lane, you are likely to see riders of the MotoGP, Moto2 or Moto3 series. Keep your cameras and mobile phones at hand, but take it easy if some of the riders do not stop for an autograph or a selfie. Do not forget that the racing weekend is always a high distress time for the riders and their schedules are very strict.
You will receive a pass for every day of the Grand Prix and the pass for Saturday (silver) will have a different colour from the pass for Sunday (gold). Store the pass with care: you may be asked to produce it at any time of day, so it must be kept in good condition and recognisable. No VIP pass transfer to others, no lending, no forgetting and no losing: as passes are issued in controlled and limited numbers, you will not be entitled to a new copy if you lose it. While you are staying in the facilities of the circuit, you should always keep the pass with you in a visible place and be ready to show it whenever you are requested to do so. Passes require electronic validation or checking by staff when you go in and out the different areas in the circuit. Service staff at the gates will in any case help you with this procedure. Remember not to go in/out the various areas without validating your pass.
Additionally, your pass only grants access to so-called and clearly identified “VIP areas” and to the associated facilities. It does not give access to areas such as the meadows or paddock, for instance. The types of passes entitling access to a specific area in the circuit will, in any case, be clearly specified on the posters and signs affixed at the entrance gate of that area. Personnel and staff around you will be ready to help you at all times. So, do not hesitate to ask them for any type of information and curiosity.
No real dress code exists in the VIP Village. However, you should remember that you are in a sports context, albeit in a highly prestigious hospitality. We recommend smart casual clothing without excessive formalities: comfortable shoes and suitable clothes for the weather in June are suggested and ….. forget about a suit and tie! Although it is not a formal occasion, typical beach looks with shorts, flip-flops, sleeveless tops and similar clothing are to be avoided.
The VIP Village offers any and all comforts you may wish. Despite this, any perfect traveller to the Motorcycle Racing World Championship should always keep some “tricks” in his/her luggage. This includes a portable battery charger for your camera or mobile, a pair of sunglasses for protection against the June sun, a folding umbrella against the weather caprices mentioned earlier, an indelible marker to record memorable meetings in the paddock, and a printout of the schedule of the free practice and qualifying sessions so that you are in the right place at the right time.
The Misano World Circuit is nested in the heart of the Italian Motorvalley: Romagna. This iconic location is, however, served by a network of infrastructures that is far from north-European perfection. Despite this, around 150,000 people visit the area in the racing weekend, which suggests that Misano is a high-traffic place at all times, this being a self-evident truth nobody can possibly hide. If you wish to reach the racing circuit at a suitable enough time to watch the first free practice sessions, you must set your alarm clock with due and large advance without bothering to arrive too early: coffee and croissants at the VIP Village will be a good reward for your early wake-up.
What about your departure from the circuit? You have a choice here: either you leave a few laps before the end of the race – you may smile reading this lines now, but you will regret having disregarded the advice on Sunday afternoon at 3:10 p.m. – or you wait two or three hours comfortably sitting at the VIP Village in order to let high traffic flow away from the circuit. There is one thing you must avoid at all costs: to get in the car immediately after the end of the MotoGP race. Travel times may exceed 8 hours.
Last but not least, although it may sound banal, abstain from silly behaviours or fits of temper of any type whatsoever: as any communication materials suggest, motor sport is dangerous. Under no circumstances should you try and trespass protective netting, fences and gates, and throw any type of object on the track or in nearby areas. Even if you find open entrances or doors, do not step into areas where you are not admitted; do not use lighters and do not smoke cigarettes, including electronic cigarettes, where this is not allowed. Finally, remember that riders, technicians and mechanics often travel on scooters and electric bikes both in and out of the paddock: be cautious at all times.
Want to know more? Email us at info@rtrsports.com
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 blogMarch 12, 2025
As part of the sponsorship in motorsport, Moto2 represents a key piece from a technical point of view, from a communication point of view and as a transition platform to MotoGP. In this artic[...]
Read MoreFebruary 3, 2025
The recent cross-industry sponsorship agreement between Alpine and the Yamaha Pramac MotoGP team has caught the attention of motorsport insiders and fans, marking a significant shift in[...]
Read MoreJanuary 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 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 blogApril 14, 2025
A natural marriage: technology and MotoGP MotoGP is not just about speed, borderline overtaking and adrenaline. It is also one of the most advanced technological platforms in the world. Every[...]
Read MoreApril 8, 2025
Sponsorship and endorsement are two marketing strategies designed to boost brand awareness and drive consumer engagement by leveraging different types of partnerships. While sponsorship build[...]
Read MoreApril 4, 2025
Amazon Prime Video is making a bold statement in the world of motorsport sponsorship by stepping in as the presenting sponsor for Kyle Larson’s unprecedented attempt to conquer two of a[...]
Read More