Champagne will be back on the Formula 1 podium in 2025. Spraying Italian sparkling wine over the sycophantic crowd below is just not on brand anymore – even if its namesake is Ferrari!
Moet et Chandon announced their return as F1’s purveyor of celebratory bubbles after a three-year sabbatical. Such is the global momentum of F1 that the world’s premier fashion houses are falling over themselves as they rush to attach their brand to the wagon.
LVMH will peddle their different brands as when they have an activation program – Moet et Chandon being one of them.
F1 heritage brand - TAG Heuer, also makes a welcome return as the official timekeeper. Whilst we’re not privy to the deals, Parc Ferme is sure the dollar numbers would make even our multiple-zero adjusted heads spin.
Suck on this…
All this must be a bitter lemon for the FIA, though. Ever since the 100-year F1 commercial rights deal made between Bernie Ecclestone and Max Mosely, they have had to watch the money printing press work twenty-four-seven.
Essentially, they’ve rented their house out on a long-term lease, only to find the lessee is sub-letting it for a thousand times the value of the rent.
Granted, they have given it a lick of paint and added an extension, but the added value is not really commensurate with sub-rental income.
Look what we’ve done with your house
The lessee is also not shy of waiving the cash in their landlord’s face and reminding them that, for all intents and purposes, they now own the property.
The FIA may have its faults, but there’s no show without the organizers and officials. It also invests in grassroots motorsport—mainly to keep the pipeline full of potential new F1 pilots. It’s difficult to see what FOM is bringing to the party in this area.
No money, no drive
Having recently attended a round of a regional F4 and F3 championship, I was reminded of just how much money is required to compete in the junior level.
Back in the 80s, a top Formula Ford outfit – the F4 equivalent of today, would have consisted of: the owner / constructor, two mechanics and possibly a runner / car polisher. All this was transported around in a truck with a small awning.
Fast forward today and each team has multiple engineers, team administrators, driver coaches, media coach and insta/x’er poster. These young guns don’t even carry their own helmets.
Costs of €25,000 a round is touted, but the reality is closer to €45,000 with all the bells and whistles to climb the greasy pole.
It’s difficult to see how a Lewis Hamilton type talent could emerge again with such a money-intensive ladder.
Reinvest
Maybe it’s time Formula One Management (FOM) reinvested in the show that generates such enormous profits for them by financing some scholarship schemes for young drivers whose dads are not Rothschilds.
They don’t have to get their hand dirty themselves but can ask FIA to manage this for them through the ASNs. It would be great PR for F1 and great PR for their sponsoring partners! Just a thought…
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