Drivers for Sale

[racecub]

Hamilton has greater world wide appeal than Vettel,he's the most marketable F1 driver, so if all they're thinking about is selling Mercedes road cars they're better sticking with Hamilton. But I think they want to win. So I'd still say they're better sticking with Rosberg and Hamilton.

 

[racecub]

Il_leone I was talking about the most marketable sportsperson list. It's takes into account different things,I cant remember them all. Things like home market appeal, cross over appeal, earnings, lots more can't remember. But Lewis is the highest F1driver on the list.

On your other point, I think Rosberg is proving to be a fantastic driver, and I'm sure Lewis will want to beat him. As you say, every driver wants to beat his team mate, I would be a poor F1 driver who didnt!

 

[Mephistopheles]

Hamilton has greater world wide appeal than Vettel,he's the most marketable F1 driver,

That's only your opinion I don't see any evidence of that personally, especially as Lewis is on record as saying he hates doing PR and promotion work, which is what marketable boils down to for the sponsors they ain't gonna pay someone not to promote their products....

As I see it, it depends on the country you are talking about, for instance in Germany Lewis isn't the most marketable driver Vettel is, in Spain Lewis is not the most marketable driver, Alonso is, in Italy Lewis is not the most marketable driver, once again Alonso is, in Japan Lewis is not the most marketable driver, Button is due to his girlfriend and the amount of time he spends there. in Spa Lewis is not he most marketable driver Kimi is and is probably the most marketable driver of the entire bunch in any country simply due to how laid back he is..

I don't think I need to go on...

 

[Mephistopheles]

ll_leone.....considering how fortunes seemed to have changed for the better at Mercedes. I wouldn't at all be suprised if the board will, authorize a raise for Lewis.....

Considering Nico has bagged all the wins this year I reckon he will get a raise before Lewis...

 

[racecub]

That's only your opinion I don't see any evidence of that personally, especially as Lewis is on record as saying he hates doing PR and promotion work, which is what marketable boils down to for the sponsors they ain't gonna pay someone not to promote their products....

As I see it, it depends on the country you are talking about, for instance in Germany Lewis isn't the most marketable driver Vettel is, in Spain Lewis is not the most marketable driver, Alonso is, in Italy Lewis is not the most marketable driver, once again Alonso is, in Japan Lewis is not the most marketable driver, Button is due to his girlfriend and the amount of time he spends there. in Spa Lewis is not he most marketable driver Kimi is and is probably the most marketable driver of the entire bunch in any country simply due to how laid back he is..

I don't think I need to go on...

Well no it's not just my opinion . I took it from the list of 50 most marketable sportspeople. I can't find the exact same list but this one is very similar.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/footbal...ete/story-e6frf423-1226642070622#.UdkZbsu9KSM

Three f1 stars on it, Hamilton highest, then Vettel, then Perez.( I remember that being so when I first saw the list) . It's talking about marketability world wide not just in the sports stars home country. It's not just a list of uk sports stars.

 

[The Pits]

Mephistopheles

Just to point out, you say that Lewis is not marketable "as he hates doing PR and promotion work, which is what marketable boils down to"

Then, "in Spa Lewis is not he most marketable driver Kimi is and is probably the most marketable driver of the entire bunch in any country simply due to how laid back he is"

Yet I am fairly sure Kimi is on record as not wanting to be involved in anything other than the racing?

 

[Incubus]

I think there is a bit more to it than that. I think there is a natural tendency on the part of all us to mistake "global profile" with "UK profile". Drivers' salalary are the product of their potential performance combined with how much they can bring a team in terms of their worldwide appeal, which translates into the purchase of consumer products that are associated with their brand name. In the UK Hamilton probably tops the table but it's a different story when it comes to worldwide marketability.
Drivers that have won a lot AND have been around for a long time are probably more marketable than younger drivers, on their name alone compared to their recent success, particularly when it comes to the general public.

In 1984 it is no secret that the hierarchy at McLaren would have preferred to see Prost crowned rather than Lauda because at the time Niki's legend worldwide was such that his win came across more as HIS victory rather than McLaren's. Had Prost won the title that year McLaren would have benefited more.

Today Alonso and Raikkonen are probably the two drivers who are the most marketable and command the higher salaries, as long as they keep performing. Regardless of how they come across at interviews.

 

[racecub]

Well that's not what the tables say, and it is worldwide marketability.And it's not just about commanding high salaries. Value for money comes into the equation somewhere. Anyway. I was just giving the results of the poll/ survey or whatever it was.

 

[The Artist.....]

Well no it's not just my opinion . I took it from the list of 50 most marketable sportspeople. I can't find the exact same list but this one is very similar.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/footbal...ete/story-e6frf423-1226642070622#.UdkZbsu9KSM

Three f1 stars on it, Hamilton highest, then Vettel, then Perez.( I remember that being so when I first saw the list) . It's talking about marketability world wide not just in the sports stars home country. It's not just a list of uk sports stars.

Bear in mind that this is a "value for money" list... It may be that Alonso can sell more cars than Hamilton, but would charge umpteen times more in fees (perhaps)....

Anyway, I'm always a little bit dubious of lists that don't explain their metrics!

 

[Incubus]

Not quite sure that publication would exactly be the most reliable source in the world, oe even in the UK , nor do I even think a term with such broad applications as "marketibily" can possibly even be quantified on paper, especially when whatever criteria being applied on that magazine is something they certainly haven't even bothered disclosing.

 

[Incubus]

Well I say that, but to be honest I'm not quite sure why would anybody give a damn about any drivers' marketability anyway. If you supprt a driver or team, and as long as they perform why would anybody care about how "marketable" they are? Watching them race is what matters isn't it?

 

[racecub]

I'm not saying that list is a definitive one, I'm just saying that whichever one i look at has Lewis as the top F1 driver.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-2323701/Neymar-words-marketable-athlete.html
I think the magazine publications get the list from a research group, they don't compile them themselves.
The criteria is stated it takes into account the following
Home market
Value for money
Age
Charisma
Willingness to be marketed
Crossover appeal.

 

[The Pits]

It is, however, for the team it is important that they can attract sponsors to pay for the racing.

 

[Jen]

Should the premise be true, then it rather puts paid to the theory that Hamilton is universally hated!

 

[Il_leone]

racecub

As Mercedes you're only interested in your brand unless its a business partner to do cross over promotions and also not a competitior

Like I said I am sure there are those within Mercedes boardroom who think Vettel is the most successful driver on the grid and German so they should go and get him to display German supremacy all round why do think they got Schumacher before then?

Previously I remember Mercedes were using Boris Becker and Hakkinen to promote their road cars not Coulthard

 

[racecub]

I'm assuming the list is for general marketability around the world, not just by the current boss of the sports person at that time. Potential to be marketable I guess. Whilst Mercedes home market may prefer a Geman team with two Geman drivers. Marketing cars around the world will require a wider appeal.

 

[Il_leone]

racecub

See previous Mercedes line up of Schumacher and Rosberg . The reason for hiring Schumacher over reigning world champion Button - 7 world titles to 1 world title , 91 wins to 7 wins at the time and German vs British

Hiring Schumacher was doing for marketing reasons and being Germany's greatest driver .. next Germany's greatest driver by stats is Vettel

so they have done it once so why could not do it again ?

 

[racecub]

Well yeah if it was Button or Schumacher I can completely understand the choice. i would also imagine at the time that decision was taken, that Schumacher would have been way further up a 'most marketable driver' ranking than Button.
Ask people who know little about F1 to name racing driver and Schumacher will likely be the name given.