{"id":241228,"date":"2023-08-29T13:40:41","date_gmt":"2023-08-29T11:40:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rtrsports.com\/sponsorship-market-drivers\/"},"modified":"2026-10-07T15:05:04","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T13:05:04","slug":"sponsorship-market-drivers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rtrsports.com\/en\/blog\/sponsorships-market-drivers\/","title":{"rendered":"Sponsorship and the silly season: how sponsors and the driver market are linked"},"content":{"rendered":"

A relationship rarely explored in sports marketing classrooms<\/strong>, yet very common in practice, is the one between the so-called silly season<\/strong> (the driver and team market, which now runs throughout the sporting year) and the world of sponsorship<\/a>. How does a sponsorship change when the person on the bike or behind the wheel changes? What should a sponsor do, halfway through a multi-year contract, if the driver suddenly decides to switch teams, or the team chooses other athletes? And finally, how do you manage the constant, natural evolution of the sports property within a partnership program?<\/p>\n

The silly season<\/h2>\n

The term “silly season<\/strong>” was born in the second half of the nineteenth century with connotations far removed from sport, referring to the time of the political year when Parliament was not sitting and the courts were closed. With no significant news to report, newspapers had to make do with “silly” stories, trivial and of little importance, such as gossip, rumors and minor news.<\/p>\n

The silly season soon reached the world of sport. Today the term covers everything outside sports reporting in the strict sense, mainly transfer rumors and news of changes at the top or in the make-up of the teams.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is a concept whose meaning has changed radically over the years, especially in terms of timing. Until about twenty years ago the market, for managers and drivers alike, was discussed and settled in just a few weeks towards the end of the season; today flexibility is total, horizons have lengthened and timelines have inevitably stretched. The market is always open, and not a day goes by without someone, somewhere, raising the prospect of a possible change of colors.<\/p>\n

\"Silly<\/p>\n

Sponsorship and the driver market<\/h2>\n

The double thread that ties sponsorship to the twists of the driver market is often forgotten. Yet regular readers of these pages know well the reasons of affinity, opportunity and shared values that must underpin any sports partnership. A sponsor wants the team it backs to represent it in image, in character and in that famous triad of vision, mission and purpose that marketing experts know all too well. It is the same reason why what makes a driver attractive to a sponsor<\/a> matters so much.<\/p>\n

In this sense, and to put it plainly, having Lewis Hamilton<\/strong> behind the wheel is not the same as having Arvid Lindblad<\/strong>, just as having Marc M\u00e1rquez<\/strong> on the bike is not the same as having Ferm\u00edn Aldeguer<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Backing this up, there are many sponsorship contracts on two and four wheels that are signed precisely because a particular driver is in that team. Think of the many Mexican companies that appeared on the Red Bull Racing livery during Sergio P\u00e9rez<\/strong>‘s years, or of Estrella Galicia<\/strong>‘s activities in MotoGP and Formula 1<\/a>, often tied to the presence of a Spanish driver such as Carlos Sainz. The relationship between Honda<\/strong>, Idemitsu<\/strong> and Asian riders, from Takaaki Nakagami to Somkiat Chantra at LCR from 2018 to 2025, followed broadly the same lines.<\/p>\n

In an ideal world the triangle between team, sponsor and driver always rests on common ground. That bouquet of values and heritage, that shared history and those common roots so often mentioned in sports marketing are the ingredients of great success in sporting terms, in marketing terms and in terms of popular affection.<\/p>\n

Coming and going<\/h2>\n

However, if such perfect synergies are often hard to build, they are even harder to sustain over a long period. So what happens in the world of sponsorship if a driver changes team<\/strong> (Marc M\u00e1rquez leaving Honda after eleven seasons, or Lewis Hamilton moving from Mercedes to Ferrari in 2025), retires<\/strong> (Sebastian Vettel in 2022) or is replaced by a teammate considered faster<\/strong> (Nyck de Vries in 2023, or Liam Lawson in 2025, sent back to Racing Bulls after just two races with Red Bull)?<\/p>\n

The scenarios are many, and they are handled first by the contract that binds the sponsor to the team, and then by an assessment, or a forecast, of how effective the deal has been so far and will be from now on.<\/p>\n

As mentioned, several sponsors sign with a given team precisely because a given driver is behind the wheel or on the bike. Whether for geographical reasons or for reasons of long collaboration, the sponsor makes no secret of why it is there, and when signing the contract it makes sure its fortunes are tied to those of its favorite. As long as the driver is there, the sponsor stays; otherwise, it is up for discussion. That was the case with Finland’s Wihuri<\/strong>, which, after sponsoring Williams during Valtteri Bottas<\/strong>‘s years, followed him to Mercedes in 2017.<\/p>\n

In other cases the sponsorship starts by following the driver but continues even after the driver leaves the team. One example is Santander<\/strong>, which arrived at McLaren in 2007 together with Fernando Alonso<\/strong> but stayed on even after the Asturian left Woking to return to Renault after just one year (the two would meet again, not exactly by chance, at Ferrari in 2010). These are situations dictated by the opportunity of the sports marketing project, where it is clear that certain agreements need to be multi-year at the very least to work.<\/p>\n

In still other cases, the sponsor is the driver or a family member, as was the case with Nikita Mazepin<\/strong> and his father’s company, and then it is fair to say there is no discussion at all.<\/p>\n

\"MotoGP<\/p>\n

Understanding the market, managing the sponsorship<\/h2>\n

As is clear, the scenarios vary and depend on many factors. The biggest sponsors and the most prominent companies have more negotiating room, but they are also bound by different considerations of image, contracts and visibility. Smaller sponsors, on the other hand, have more freedom of movement, but less say when it comes to the market.<\/p>\n

In any case, understanding market tensions and staying up to date on what is happening in the sponsored series is a sponsor’s duty, just as keeping sponsors promptly informed of moves within the team is an obligation for teams and organizations.<\/p>\n

At the same time, having up-to-date reporting<\/strong> on the efficiency of the sponsorship and fresh data on the ROI<\/strong> and performance of the project is the first step towards informed, effective decisions.<\/p>\n

Even if not every sponsorship is built around a specific driver, it is absolutely essential that there is consonance and harmony across the whole partnership project.<\/p>\n

Sports marketing agencies<\/a> play a decisive role at this stage. Thanks to reliable sources and in-depth knowledge of the sector, they can give their clients dependable information and well-founded advice on how to act when the market gets a little too lively.<\/p>\n

Living things that change with time<\/h2>\n

The driver market, and the same goes for other sports, is closely linked to how sponsorships are managed and to decisions about partnerships.<\/p>\n

Different athletes have different profiles, values, backgrounds and attitudes, and these need to be aligned with the sponsorship project. In the triangle between driver, team and sponsor, all three need to find a balance and a shared vision and identity.<\/strong> That is exactly why the silly season and the driver market are key moments in the life of a sponsorship and must be handled with care before making any decision: this is where a sports marketing agency can be extremely useful.<\/p>\n

Sponsorships are, once again, living and changing things, and that is precisely where their appeal and their effectiveness lie. Just as teams, series, sports and athletes change over the years and across eras, partnerships must change too, learning to move with the currents of time.<\/p>\n

There are no fixed rules, nor any right moves to make if a driver the sponsor does not like arrives or a much-loved one leaves. Ongoing dialogue with the sports property and regular reading of the sponsorship’s performance reports are the two essential compasses on which to base any change of direction, whether potential or actual.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\r\n\r\n

Frequently asked questions about the silly season and sponsorship<\/b><\/h2>\r\n \r\n
\n
\r\n\r\n

\r\n What is the silly season in motorsport?<\/b>\r\n <\/h3>\r\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n

It is the period, now stretching across almost the whole year, when the driver market and team changes dominate the conversation. The term was born in the second half of the nineteenth century to describe the months without important news, when newspapers filled up with gossip and rumors.<\/p>\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n
\n

\r\n\r\n

\r\n What happens to the sponsor if the driver changes team?<\/b>\r\n <\/h3>\r\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n

It depends on the contract and on why the sponsor came in. If the deal is tied to that driver, the sponsor often follows them or reopens the discussion; if it is tied to the team, it may stay even after the driver leaves, as Santander did at McLaren after Alonso’s departure.<\/p>\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n
\n

\r\n\r\n

\r\n Why do some sponsors follow a specific driver?<\/b>\r\n <\/h3>\r\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n

For geographical, market or long-standing reasons: a driver can open the door to a country or an audience. Examples include the Mexican companies that came to Red Bull during Sergio P\u00e9rez’s years and Estrella Galicia with Spanish drivers.<\/p>\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n
\n

\r\n\r\n

\r\n How can a sponsor protect itself from driver changes?<\/b>\r\n <\/h3>\r\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n

With a contract that sets out what happens if the team line-up changes, with constant communication with the sports property and with up-to-date reports on the sponsorship’s performance and ROI, which allow decisions to be made based on data.<\/p>\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n
\n

\r\n\r\n

\r\n Does the driver market matter for team sponsors too?<\/b>\r\n <\/h3>\r\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n

Yes. Even when a sponsorship is not tied to a specific driver, whoever drives the car influences the team’s image, its results and the audience it reaches. That is why driver, team and sponsor need to share values and identity.<\/p>\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n
\n

\r\n\r\n

\r\n What role does a sports marketing agency play during the silly season?<\/b>\r\n <\/h3>\r\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n

It helps the sponsor read the market, understand the impact of a driver change on the project and decide how to move, thanks to reliable sources and knowledge of the paddock.<\/p>\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n
\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A relationship rarely explored in sports marketing classrooms, yet very common in practice, is the one between the so-called silly season (the driver and team market, which now runs throughout the sporting year) and the world of sponsorship. How does a sponsorship change when the person on the bike or behind the wheel changes? What […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":195601,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,20038,20039],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-241228","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-motogp","category-sport-sponsorship","category-sports-marketing"],"acf":[],"contentshake_article_id":"","yoast_head":"\nSilly season and sponsorship: what happens to the sponsor<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Silly season and sponsorship: what happens to the sponsor when a driver changes team, retires or is replaced. 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