Photo: Nicholas Latifi / Facebook
Formula 1 is no stranger to drivers being swapped around like Lego bricks in a custom build. Among the latest such moves is Williams’ replacement of Nicholas Latifi.
Of course, that particular choice cost Williams a lot of money brought to the team by the Canadian driver. This is obviously not something to be happy about, as Formula 1 is a very costly sport to participate in.
So much so that we’ve seen a cost cap be implemented to stop the top teams from spending many times more than the smaller racing outfits could afford. On top of that, a system of aerodynamic testing restrictions has been set up to help backmarkers make up some lost ground.
Despite that, this process does not mean the field will get closer overnight. You cannot simply undo years of spending by the big teams. The knowledge, facilities, and infrastructure remain, and a complete reset is hard to achieve.
So why would the team sacrifice a steady source of income? It turns out there is a good reason for this. Williams is fully aware of what losing revenue could mean for the team and has already taken steps to avoid its impact, with the key to that financial stability being the U.S. market.
The Grove-based team is building a brand around itself and has, in turn, attracted quite a few sponsors. It seems the signing of Logan Sargeant, who takes the step up from Formula 2, was a great move, generating increased attention from potential American sponsors.
Chief among those companies who will have their names plastered on the Williams FW45 Formula 1 car is Gulf Oil. The brand is not only iconic in the industry but has a long-standing tradition in motorsports, making the partnership with Williams a big deal.
There are some other names on the car, like the beer brand Michelob Ultra and the trading company PureStream. But Williams won’t just rely on a few deals that could quickly fall apart if no results come through, instead also investing in its growth in the U.S. market.
According to Williams commercial director James Bower, “We actually have an office in America, in New York. We have a large fan engagement team based out of that office, which is led by the former SVP of fan engagement from the NFL, with a number of American sports marketing specialists in that team.”
He further adds, “We are investing in fan activations around the US races and assets that we had in the market. So, when those things come together, then with Logan, with Jamie Chadwick on the academy as well, competing in Indy NXT, it's building a kind of center of gravity that is helping us commercially.”
Williams then makes it clear that the team has a large scope to further flourish financially while also helping the sport become more popular in the United States. Knowing this, we’re eagerly awaiting to see if this historic team can finally get back to winning races in the future.
So much so that we’ve seen a cost cap be implemented to stop the top teams from spending many times more than the smaller racing outfits could afford. On top of that, a system of aerodynamic testing restrictions has been set up to help backmarkers make up some lost ground.
Despite that, this process does not mean the field will get closer overnight. You cannot simply undo years of spending by the big teams. The knowledge, facilities, and infrastructure remain, and a complete reset is hard to achieve.
So why would the team sacrifice a steady source of income? It turns out there is a good reason for this. Williams is fully aware of what losing revenue could mean for the team and has already taken steps to avoid its impact, with the key to that financial stability being the U.S. market.
The Grove-based team is building a brand around itself and has, in turn, attracted quite a few sponsors. It seems the signing of Logan Sargeant, who takes the step up from Formula 2, was a great move, generating increased attention from potential American sponsors.
Chief among those companies who will have their names plastered on the Williams FW45 Formula 1 car is Gulf Oil. The brand is not only iconic in the industry but has a long-standing tradition in motorsports, making the partnership with Williams a big deal.
There are some other names on the car, like the beer brand Michelob Ultra and the trading company PureStream. But Williams won’t just rely on a few deals that could quickly fall apart if no results come through, instead also investing in its growth in the U.S. market.
According to Williams commercial director James Bower, “We actually have an office in America, in New York. We have a large fan engagement team based out of that office, which is led by the former SVP of fan engagement from the NFL, with a number of American sports marketing specialists in that team.”
He further adds, “We are investing in fan activations around the US races and assets that we had in the market. So, when those things come together, then with Logan, with Jamie Chadwick on the academy as well, competing in Indy NXT, it's building a kind of center of gravity that is helping us commercially.”
Williams then makes it clear that the team has a large scope to further flourish financially while also helping the sport become more popular in the United States. Knowing this, we’re eagerly awaiting to see if this historic team can finally get back to winning races in the future.
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