Star Sports India joins McLaren

If McLaren is currently at the center of F1 news, it is not for the reasons it would like, as it is the repeated difficulties of their engine supplier, Honda, making headlines in the specialized press.

This lack of performance is undoubtedly reflected in the company’s accounts, even though Honda makes a significant contribution to the team’s budget. However, it also has a considerable impact on its image, which now relies more on its prestigious history than on its glorious present.

That is why it is interesting to note that the team now led by Zak Brown is currently multiplying partnerships with media companies in order to restore its image and, more importantly, to demonstrate to its sponsors that they will receive media exposure beyond just the races.

It started with the announcement of a multi-episode documentary to be aired exclusively on Amazon’s VOD service, where cameras followed Stoffel Vandoorne throughout his winter preparation and during the season. Conrad Riggs, Head of Unscripted Amazon Originals, explained: « The documentary will allow Amazon Prime members to see what it takes to compete at the highest level of Formula 1. The documentary will combine unprecedented access with an exciting and dramatic storyline that will appeal both to motorsport fans and those who aren’t. »

A second agreement has also been made with the group of channels specializing in sports broadcasting in India, Star Sports India. This wholly-owned subsidiary of the American giant 21st Century Fox will also be able to create and broadcast exclusive content. It is also planned to organize contests that will allow some Indian fans to be invited to Grand Prix events or to test McLaren’s road vehicles or even meet the team’s drivers.

This type of agreement is reminiscent of the one McLaren has established since 2015 with another media giant, the American channel CNN. The two partners have thus implemented joint marketing operations to strengthen their respective brands.

Star Sports India will also have some visibility since its logo is also visible on the left sleeve of both drivers, Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne. However, it can be seen that the team preferred to leave a blank space between the fashion brand Michael Kors and the law firm Norton Rose Fulbright, which was vacated by the departure of Segafredo. The Star Sports logo is therefore placed further down, reducing its visibility accordingly.

Another logo also appeared over the Melbourne weekend on the MCL32, with the computer peripherals brand Logitech appearing on the bodywork, on both sides of the drivers’ helmets.

Nevertheless, these new partners provide financial contributions far from what was the case in the past, notably with groups like Vodafone, which was a title sponsor of the team.

With the participation of www.racingbusiness.fr