30 replies to this topic

[FullThrottleF1]

http://www.motorspor...-on-their-radar

 

It would be great if Newey desinged a LMP1 car.

[Imateria]

Sure they could, but I doubt they will any time soon.

[frosty125]

Maybe they will consider once the technical department has settled down in the F1 team has settled down and they have a long term engine partner willing to support them in F1 and other categories.

[kayemod]

Red Bull only go into anything to expose their name to the ****-glugging millions. WEC is just too low profile for them given the outlay, it would be as expensive as F1 for a tiny fraction of the publicity. I can see advertising value in it for Porsche, but not really for the others like Audi & Toyota.

[FullThrottleF1]

Red Bull only go into anything to expose their name to the ****-glugging millions. WEC is just too low profile for them given the outlay, it would be as expensive as F1 for a tiny fraction of the publicity. I can see advertising value in it for Porsche, but not really for the others like Audi & Toyota.

Why Porsche but not Audi/Toyota? 

[aramos]

Red Bull only go into anything to expose their name to the ****-glugging millions. WEC is just too low profile for them given the outlay, it would be as expensive as F1 for a tiny fraction of the publicity. I can see advertising value in it for Porsche, but not really for the others like Audi & Toyota.

Is good for car manufacturers to promote their pedigree. Far cheaper than f1 and easier to be competitive.

[Victor_RO]

Red Bull only go into anything to expose their name to the shit-glugging millions. WEC is just too low profile for them given the outlay, it would be as expensive as F1 for a tiny fraction of the publicity. I can see advertising value in it for Porsche, but not really for the others like Audi & Toyota.

 

Audi have been advertising diesel on the back of their LMP1 programme for years, Toyota are pushing some advertising about hybrid technology with the TS030 and TS040.

[kayemod]

Why Porsche but not Audi/Toyota? 

 

It's tenuous, but Le Mans Porsches have a faint similarity in some people's minds to a 911. I fully understand your Audi/diesel and Toyota/hybrid point, but as far as an operation like Red Bull is concerned, a WEC programme wouldn't have even a fraction of the publicity impact of F1 wins & championships. I doubt if even one in a hundred Audi A4 drivers has any real knowledge of their WEC efforts, and they wouldn't be interested if you told them.

[redreni]

Yes.

[TennisUK]

Why Porsche but not Audi/Toyota? 

Porsche customers are relatively more likely to be aware of WEC than, say, Toyota customers.

[Ben1445]

Porsche customers are relatively more likely to be aware of WEC than, say, Toyota customers.

But lets say someone watches WEC with no prior allegiance and sees, say, Toyota winning. It will improve, even if a little bit, their opinion of Toyota. It's not about whose likely to watch its about who's watching who you can convince. 

I know someone who bought a Peugeot 508 because of their LMP1 efforts. 

[kayemod]

But lets say someone watches WEC with no prior allegiance and sees, say, Toyota winning. It will improve, even if a little bit, their opinion of Toyota. It's not about whose likely to watch its about who's watching who you can convince. 

I know someone who bought a Peugeot 508 because of their LMP1 efforts. 

 

The problem is though that very few people do watch WEC, or even show much interest in it, it may be "unfair", but that's why that class of racing will never interest the likes of Red Bull. They're not racers at heart, they're only in it for media exposure, one day they'll lose interest and disappear from the sport altogether.

[Ben1445]

Oh no you're right, it's not suitable for Red Bull 

[FerrariV12]

One factor might be how Newey feels about an LMP car himself - as opposed to an America's Cup yacht or other special projects. I'm not saying he could force the thing himself, but if Red Bull are even slightly considering it, and their employee who they basically let write his own job description to keep him out of the opposition's hands really wants it, then it becomes a bit more possible. Not saying it would be as clear cut as "Fund my LMP or I'll reconsider that Ferrari offer" but I can see him having more of a say than a run of the mill technical director/chief designer at any other organisation.

 

But as I said, his passions for a project outside of F1 may lie elsewhere, making the above moot.

[Knot]

They already have two teams in WEC 2.0.

[TF110]

Lmp1 is about a third or less the price of F1. A big name just joined in Nissan, along with the two biggest auto makers in the world in the top class. Meanwhile F1 struggles to have 18 car grids.

Le Mans has 300k people attending. Its a huge audience. Wec will never be f1 levels, but exposure will just grow from here for the wec.

[Fastcake]

It's still absolutely tiny next to F1 though. Le Mans gets an alright audience (obviously trackside attendance is great, but the TV figures aren't high anywhere), but the rest of the WEC is next to non-existent.

 

If you're a car manufacturer you might be getting something out of it, but Red Bull? It's a third of the price, but you're reaching far less than a third of the audience.

[BRG]

I don't imagine Red Bull have the slightest interest in WEC, but they are in WRC and other plenty of other lesser series, so the idea that WEC isn't big enough for them doesn't hold water.  More to the point is that they don't have a suitable engine and the develop one would cost a fortune.  And they have no expertise in engines.

Edited by BRG, 18 February 2015 - 23:12.

[Disgrace]

Surely it's an image issue above all. Red Bull get involved with series which are outwardly action-packed and inherently outlandish like the Air Race and motorcycle racing in general. Does endurance racing lend itself to such an image?

[TomNokoe]

Surely it's an image issue above all. Red Bull get involved with series which are outwardly action-packed and inherently outlandish like the Air Race and motorcycle racing in general. Does endurance racing lend itself to such an image?

Red Bull = Energy Drink
Stay awake, focussed, endurance yada yada

Not the worst angle in the world.


I'd like to see them there, it'll never happen though.

[OvDrone]

I'd be over the damn moon, if I'd ever see a Newey-penned LMP1.

[chipmcdonald]

What they need to do is start a real formula racing series. 

[lbennie]

The problem is though that very few people do watch WEC, or even show much interest in it, it may be "unfair", but that's why that class of racing will never interest the likes of Red Bull. They're not racers at heart, they're only in it for media exposure, one day they'll lose interest and disappear from the sport altogether.

 

they are already in the lower catagories of endurance racing & have teams in V8 supercars & WRC among many others.

 

I don't understand where you are getting this from, Deitrich is a huge racing fan - Red Bull is not your standard Vodafone/Santander - they are pretty much what marlboro was in the 80s & 90s, with how entrenched they are in motorsport.

Edited by lbennie, 19 February 2015 - 03:50.

[KingTiger]

they are already in the lower catagories of endurance racing & have teams in V8 supercars & WRC among many others.

 

I don't understand where you are getting this from, Deitrich is a huge racing fan - Red Bull is not your standard Vodafone/Santander - they are pretty much what marlboro was in the 80s & 90s, with how entrenched they are in motorsport.

 

They only sponsor teams in V8SC and etc. the commitment is much, much lower than owning a team like they do in F1. 

[SenorSjon]

I guess Le Mans has better exposure than current day F1 in most nations. It is broadcasted here live the full 24 hours on two channels (RTL7 and Eurosport), whereas you can't find F1 FTA on a Dutch channel. F1 is hiding from the general public. I also see WEC more as a development class and prestige than current day F1. WEC is full blast for a full day, while F1 is cruising around for 90 minutes saving bits and pieces everywhere in bad looking cars.

[FullThrottleF1]

I guess Le Mans has better exposure than current day F1 in most nations. It is broadcasted here live the full 24 hours on two channels (RTL7 and Eurosport), whereas you can't find F1 FTA on a Dutch channel. F1 is hiding from the general public. I also see WEC more as a development class and prestige than current day F1. WEC is full blast for a full day, while F1 is cruising around for 90 minutes saving bits and pieces everywhere in bad looking cars.

Agreed. Anyone else going to the 6 hours of Silverstone this year?

[taran]

The problem is though that very few people do watch WEC, or even show much interest in it, it may be "unfair", but that's why that class of racing will never interest the likes of Red Bull. They're not racers at heart, they're only in it for media exposure, one day they'll lose interest and disappear from the sport altogether.

 

I rather doubt that. It seems to me that Mateschitz is a real racing fan and uses his company to indulge in this hobby. He has been in F1 since 1995 and has either been a title sponsor or team owner. That's major committment IMO.

 

You could also argue that F1 or racing in general isn't really appealing to Red Bull's core customers. BMX, moto X, stunts, etc. is all far more appealing to youngsters who actually these drink energy cans. F1 is far too brainy and dull to appeal.

[BRG]

You could also argue that F1 or racing in general isn't really appealing to Red Bull's core customers. BMX, moto X, stunts, etc. is all far more appealing to youngsters who actually these drink energy cans. F1 is far too brainy and dull to appeal.

I'm sure all of Bernie's Rolex wearing 80 year olds, at whom he aims F1, all drink Red Bull, probably with their port.

[taran]

I'm sure all of Bernie's Rolex wearing 80 year olds, at whom he aims F1, all drink Red Bull, probably with their port.

 

No, 80 year old people with rolex watches are unlikely to get wings...

[Rinehart]

The problem is though that very few people do watch WEC, or even show much interest in it, it may be "unfair", but that's why that class of racing will never interest the likes of Red Bull. They're not racers at heart, they're only in it for media exposure, one day they'll lose interest and disappear from the sport altogether.

 

Red Bulls whole brand strategy is based around giving people wings in sport and creativity. Its not just a natty tagline, its their culture and it will probably never change.

 

RB are as committed to F1 as Ferrari are. 

 

RB support many action sports including Alpine Skiing & Dakar Rally. The numbers don't matter its about exposure. 

 

WEC is plausible, no doubt about it. 

[kayemod]

Red Bulls whole brand strategy is based around giving people wings in sport and creativity. Its not just a natty tagline, its their culture and it will probably never change.

 

RB are as committed to F1 as Ferrari are. 

 

RB support many action sports including Alpine Skiing & Dakar Rally. The numbers don't matter its about exposure. 

 

WEC is plausible, no doubt about it. 

 

It's clear that you've fallen for their publicity, Red Bull aren't philanthropists, the numbers do matter very much to them, they're in it media exposure, nothing more and nothing less.

 

Your comparison with Ferrari would only be valid if the prancing horse were trying to flog dubious-tasting and massively overpriced fizzy drinks to gullible teenagers.

Edited by kayemod, 20 February 2015 - 20:02.