Stickers on cars of Formula 1 they are not just decorations. Every single sticker and logo stuck on the livery of a single-seater is the result of contracts, communication strategies and an unparalleled global visibility. In this regard, we asked ourselves, if they are so important, how much do the sponsor to have the adhesives on liveries of F1?
Sponsoring F1
Sponsors in Formula 1 are very often what makes the whole Circus go round. We know that for a team to have a big sponsor It also involves having a large economic return, which will be used for the development of the car and everything that makes a team work. The point is also the collocation. The stickers we see on cars tell us a lot also based on how they are positioned. Let's see in what sense.
Like everything, even the visibility you pay: we know in fact that the logos of the main sponsors are positioned usually on the engine hood. This can cost the sponsor up to 60 million per year. Also of considerable importance are the stickers we see on the side bellies and onrear wingWe are talking about figures that are around 5 and 25 million per year. But not only the main logos, even the smallest of the stickers that we see on a top-class car can cost up to 2 million dollars per year for the sponsor.
Even the notoriety of a team has a lot to do with it, inevitably the logos that we see positioned on top teams, such as Ferrari, la Red Bull and Mclaren, will cost more than those sported by smaller teams.
Why Invest? Formula 1 is a Global Stage
No brand would invest so much for a simple sticker. If it weren't for the fact that even the smallest of the stickers we see on a F1 car provides the company itself with a great opportunity for visibility. In fact, Formula 1, in 2023, reached over 1,5 billion global viewers. Every race weekend is an opportunity for the brand to be seen by a young, international audience with high purchasing power. A fair exchange of (economic!) favors.
This speech obviously does not only apply to the spectators who follow live every weekend, but also to everything that revolves around the media, the television, social. This sport 1 offers great opportunities for visibility and in many different forms, even not entirely conventional. As we can clearly see, the brands do not limit themselves to appearing on the liveries, but also on the helmets and on suits of the pilots. Without forgetting the divided mechanics and the entire team, as well as in the pits, in the motorhomes, in the hospitality and at the press conferences. In short, a sponsor who secures a place in Formula 1 does not run the risk of not being seen.
It's not just an all or nothing deal, sponsors can also draw on modular packages for collaboration and exposure. The number of races in which the sponsor will appear is decided together with the team, as well as the various marketing activations, such as videos and meet and greets. Some companies, such as Oracle (Red Bull) o Petronas (Mercedes), they arrive at fund a large portion of the team's annual budget, becoming technical partners and not just visual sponsors.
Visibility… has weight!
Another small detail that is not paid attention to: the stickers weigh! And they really weigh. And as we all know in F1 every single gram counts, for this reason the stickers are ultra-thin and ultra-light, printed on special films resistant to high temperatures. Designers must therefore integrate each logo without compromising aerodynamics or increasing weight.
To recap, the sponsors on the liveries, or suits, play a fundamental role in making possible what we all experience and admire in every F1 race weekend, although often those stickers go unnoticed. These are the symbol of a perfect car. So let's not make fun of HP, which suits Ferrari! (And well, with over 100 million dollars per year…
