Quote:
Originally Posted by EastonNeston
We cannot forget what we have learned about safety, construction, data analysis and aerodynamics. some people here have to accept professional single seater racing will never go back to the days of one man and a trailer. Have you been to a kart meeting recently? even at 'club' level there are big awnings and transporters, with the teams using full data logging systems. I can think of very few recent examples, in any of the sports I follow, where someone has gone on to reach the top level of the sport by not following the 'accepted route' through the levels of the sport. In both Rugby & Cricket most of the people playing at the county championship or aviva Premiership level have come through the clubs development program from a young age, not from the recreational levels of the game.
Every sport is making use of better coaching, preparation and performance analysis tools to raise performance, with sports teams having a support team of assistant coaches, performance analysts and medical staff.
Finally, any company or individual, unless they are the very rare pure philanthropic person, only invests money in the sport because there perceived a marketing benefit. Over time the effectiveness of a sponsorship for a brand declines to a point where the return on investment is zero.
|
Look at FFUK? Charles Anti is a trailer and truck guy. Not going challenge for the title running an older car in the Duratec class, but is running out of a storage unit if I'm not mistaken.
Yes, racing is like all other sports. I think if you are not 10 or 12 and racing at the front of you karting class (and by class, I mean the highest possible for your age, at world level or at least the highest of your nation) sponsors and driver development programs will pass you by. Hamilton is an example. Lance Stroll was 11 when signed by Ferrari.
The last part is 100% true. But at the same time, I feel that for some sponsors it's the love of the sport that keeps them involved. Red Bull never really needed F1 to market themselves, but chose to, and I think they'll stay for a long time no matter the competitive level they present.