Manufacturers - Why Bother?

[cider_and_toast]

As F1 in the 80s was all about the Turbo's and the ground effects and then the 90s was about driver aids and regulations the 00s will be the decade of the manufacturer. It's quite clear that the FIA spent a long time trying to bring big companies into F1 at the expense of the "independants" who were percieved to be less stable.

Well what has the millions of pounds, dollers and yen investment from these huge corperations brought to the party?

Here is the league table from the big 5 (I have not included McLaren-Merc and Ferrari)

1) Renault - 136 Races - 19 Wins - 2 WDC.
2) Honda - 66 Races - 1 Win
3) BMW - 53 Races - 1 Win
4) Toyota - 136 Races - 0 Wins - Best Result 2nd
5) Jaguar - 85 Races - 0 Wins - Best Result 3rd.

Of these 5, Toyota were the only outfit to join out of the box and not purchase another team.

Renault were the only outfit to purchase a team that had recently won a WDC/WCC and were recent race winners. Jaguar purchased Stewart who had won one race in the championship.

Honda purchase BAR which was once Tyrell with all the history of that team and BMW purchased Sauber after being snubbed by Williams.

Millions of pounds has been plowed into F1 and 4 teams combined have scored just 2 wins. It's interesting to note that during the same period Jordan and Torro Rosso also scored race wins. Yes both were in wet races and in the case of Fisichella in the Jordan, way more luck than judgement but they were wins all the same.

With so little reward for their efforts it's no wonder that BMW, Jaguar and Honda have pulled out, so the next question will be "Will Toyota and Renault make it as far as the end of this current concorde agreement or are they next?"

 

[FB]

I have felt for a long time that Renault and Toyota won't be around for too much longer. It can't be good for either companies reputation to be at the "pinnacle" of motorsport and to be found wanting.

That said, one thing I've never fathomed is why family car makers like Renault and Toyota feel the need to go motor racing. Seeing a Ferrari F1 car reinforces the image of the marque. Both Mercedes and BMW make powerful cars and have a reputation in this area. Does seeing a Toyota running round in 7th make people want to own a Prius or a Renault running 5th a Clio? Somehow I doubt it.

Anyone any insight into this? Then again, seeing RBS plastered all over a Williams didn't make me want to change my bank account or seeing Vodaphone on the side of a McLaren make me change my mobile provider.

 

[cider_and_toast]

It's a really good point you make FB. I don't have any further insight into it but there is a phrase that fits nicely and that goes "Horses for courses"

Surely it would make more sence for Renault and Toyota to put their efforts into touring car or rally which fits the image of the cars they make.

 

[Porceliamone]

You have to see it from a purely commercial 'screen time' and exposure perspective.

Believe it or not, advertising actually works and lets not forget F1 is deemed to be the very pinnacle of motor sport. Involvement in F1 itself carries a very prestigious gravity and it is assumed this will be reflected onto the brand itself. If they win, even better, more screen time, more exposure and so on...

Having 'Renault' and 'Toyota' beamed across some 600 million television screens every other week is huge exposure, regardless of the cost to run the team on a yearly basis.

 

[FB]

The problem here though is that all that is beamed into peoples homes, as the cars rush by is (was) ING and Total plastered all over the Renault and Panasonic on the Toyota. The manufacturers names don't get that much exposure and I still question, given the nature of cars that they make, what these two manufacurers in particular get from F1.

From both manufacturers perspective being seen as an "also ran" can't be that helpful for car sales. I bet the average Toyota Aigo driver doesn't puff their chest with pride at Timo Glock's 2nd place in Singapore last weekend, or the Laguna driving reptiles, streaming down the outside lane of the M6, doesn't look down at the badge in the centre of his steering wheel and imagine he is Fernando Alsonso. And the car makers can't hang their coat on the hook of developing new systems for road cars as Max has made sure that that doesn't happen any more.

I think it was Paul Stoddard who made sure his cars were so slow and lapped so often he got more air time for his sponsors than the mid-field runners. Clever man...

 

[teabagyokel]

The problem here though is that all that is beamed into peoples homes, as the cars rush by is (was) ING and Total plastered all over the Renault and Panasonic on the Toyota. The manufacturers names don't get that much exposure and I still question, given the nature of cars that they make, what these two manufacurers in particular get from F1.

But think about it when you're watching at home. Fill in the following sentences:

"Fernando Alonso in his __________, there overtaken by Mark Webber in his Red Bull-_________"
"And its been a good weekend for __________, Kubica qualified in the top 10."
"Timo Glock, there in the background keeping pace with Hamilton for ____________"

They get every bit as much exposure as the sponsors.

 

[FB]

Ah TBY, but I have ears that filter out the words of Jonathan Legard (luckily). I take your point on the exposure via the commentary but still question what benefit it brings to them when it comes to flogging cars.

 

[bogaTYR]

the biggg manitou of toyota has said in a japanese newspaper that if the financial results of the comapany do not improve, toyota will leave F1 this year. thats why they have not confirmed any drivers yet

 

[teabagyokel]

Ah TBY, but I have ears that filter out the words of Jonathan Legard (luckily). I take your point on the exposure via the commentary but still question what benefit it brings to them when it comes to flogging cars.

Well, its just exposure. The ultimate principal of advertising.

From both manufacturers perspective being seen as an "also ran" can't be that helpful for car sales. I bet the average Toyota Aigo driver doesn't puff their chest with pride at Timo Glock's 2nd place in Singapore last weekend, or the Laguna driving reptiles, streaming down the outside lane of the M6, doesn't look down at the badge in the centre of his steering wheel and imagine he is Fernando Alsonso. And the car makers can't hang their coat on the hook of developing new systems for road cars as Max has made sure that that doesn't happen any more.

But as a frequent Renault passenger, I feel a bond with Nelsinho Piquet!

 

[bogaTYR]

i know its a sponsor, but here's ING take on participating in F1. i think things are pretty much the same for car manufacturers. especially the usage of participating in F1 in countries where there is no GP but the exposure is still massive is a good one

http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews ... /7103.html

Q: Your Formula One sponsorship programme is already quite extensive: title sponsor of the ING Renault Team, title sponsor of two Grands Prix, and a track-side advertiser. Pretty aggressive for a first timer - can you explain the reason?
IC: The reason really goes back to the core of our strategy - to increase global awareness of the ING brand, and to ensure the vast numbers of customer and potential customers watching F1 races globally - many millions of them - understood that ING is active in banking, insurance and asset management. A bold and aggressive entry strategy was judged to offer the quickest and most effective way of getting our message across, and the tracking we have undertaken has proven this to be correct.

Q: Of the 17 countries holding Formula One races in 2007, ING is active in 15 - often with different products on the market in each. How did you utilise your Formula One sponsorship across such differing markets?
IC: Local activation is absolutely key to the execution of our F1 sponsorship and the effectiveness of getting our messages about the global ING brand across. ING's business units in 50 countries have been enthusiastic about entering F1 and have quickly understood they can also leverage the sport to achieve their objectives. We have seen some highly innovative local marketing and branding campaigns, from Malaysia painting Kuala Lumpur 'ING orange', to the numerous marketing campaigns across central and Eastern Europe - where many countries don't even have a GP. This has meant that ING has been able to tailor the execution of the F1 sponsorship very specifically to the local markets, which has hugely increased the effectiveness of the sponsorship for the whole of ING.