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F1: How energy drinks replaced tobacco advertising in Formula 1


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#1 eronrules

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 13:55

F1: How energy drinks replaced tobacco advertising in Formula 1


The past 20 years saw an interesting change in Formula 1; sponsorship laws in most countries banned all forms of tobacco advertising.

In the '80s, tobacco sponsorship was a common sight in F1. Philip Morris, thank to the Marlboro brand, was seen everywhere sponsoring teams and individual drivers, as well as Grand Prix events.

Several other tobacco companies were also involved, such as Gitanes with the Ligier team, JPS with Lotus, Camel with Tyrrell, West with Zakspeed, Barclay with Arrows, Skoal Bandit with RAM, and Player's Ltd. as the title sponsor of the Canadian Grand Prix.

In early 2000, the non-tobacco laws forbade all types of advertising, and all but Philip Morris disappeared. Interestingly, Philip Morris is still a sponsor of Scuderia Ferrari, although the team has removed all forms of identification on its cars, including the controversial, infamous bar code.

Nowadays, energy drinks have taken over the F1 world. Alcoholic beverages also sponsors some teams since very few countries have laws to ban their advertisement.

This season, all teams (with the exception of Williams) were associated with an energy drink or an alcoholic brevrage.

Team - Drink(s)


Red Bull - Red Bull
Toro Rosso - Red Bull
McLaren - Lucozade
Ferrari - TNT
Mercedes AMG - Monster
Lotus - Burn (coka-cola) (from 2013)
Sauber - Cuervo Tequila
Caterham - EQ8
Marussia - Monster
Sahara Force India - Vladivar Vodka, Whyte & Mackay, Kingfisher*



So this got me thinking, who's left to join the fun and what will be the next big craze to sponsor in F1 teams ...

Edited by eronrules, 28 November 2012 - 13:56.


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#2 showtime

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 14:02

When energy drinks are forbidden fast food will be the next step. McDonalds McLaren, Burger King Racing, Taco Bell Williams...

#3 Myrvold

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 14:17

I like how "all teams with the exception of Williams" didn't have Energy Drink sponsorship. While HRT isn't mentioned at all! :p

#4 BoschKurve

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 14:23

I miss the tobacco sponsorships. The liveries were worlds better than they are now....just dull, drab, and bland.

#5 Bruce

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 14:23

There is a great similarity between the two - both cigarettes and soft drinks are dirt cheap to make (after all - soft drinks are just sugar and water with a label) and the profit margins are enormous... perfect fodder for F1.

#6 F1ultimate

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 14:24

Sponsorship falls under marketing and given the extremely low manufacturing costs beverage companies have, they spend the vast majority of their reveneu on advertising, sponsorship and marketing to remain relevant.

There is a bit of a band wagon here to that has been spurred by Red bulls runaway success which rivals now want to emulate.

#7 gm914

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 14:25

I like how "all teams with the exception of Williams" didn't have Energy Drink sponsorship. While HRT isn't mentioned at all! :p


Maybe HRT will get into the Energy Drink sponsorship game with this....

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...literally thin air. :D

#8 UPRC

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 14:35

I like how "all teams with the exception of Williams" didn't have Energy Drink sponsorship. While HRT isn't mentioned at all! :p

Who? :confused:

#9 SpaceHorseParty

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 14:40

Another fun fact: Red Bull owning two F1 teams is in a way similar to BAT owning BAR. Of course, BAT entered F1 near the end of the tobacco sponsorship era, whilst Red Bull were one of the first energy drink companies to do that. Also, BAR never achieved great results.

#10 Ross Stonefeld

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 14:43

Uhm, this isn't even close to being accurate.

For starters tobacco companies were massive sponsors. In most cases the primary sponsor of the team and lots of event signage. Remember all the Marlboro races? This was mainly because they were banned from TV advertising but sponsorship still got them in the pictures.

As for the list, lots of problems there too.

Red Bull Red Bull (well duh, they own it)
Toro Rosso Red Bull
McLaren Lucozade (not really an 'energy drink' though they have one, I believe the version they use is closer to Gatorade/Powerade and it's a smaller sponosrship)
Ferrari TNT (I think this is mainly for Massa? Drinks bottle at most)
Mercedes AMG Monster (a small deal)
Lotus Fire (uh, it's burn)
Sauber Cuervo Tequila (this is alcohol?)
Caterham EQ8 (Fernandes' brand)
Marussia Monster (It's Monster the job search company, jesus)
Sahara Force India Vladivar Vodka, Whyte & Mackay, Kingfisher* (alcohol, and owned by the team owner)

So until we see how big the burn deal is, Red Bull is the only one that comes close to tobacco level involvement.


#11 Timstr11

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 14:44

What is this big deal about Energy Drinks sponsorship? I don't get it :confused:
Other than RedBull these are fairly minor deals.

Infiniti signing up to become a title sponsor is much more significant as it is comparable to what some of the teams had in the past with tobacco sponsorship. Those were big deals.

Edited by Timstr11, 28 November 2012 - 14:45.


#12 Kucki

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 14:50

When energy drinks are forbidden fast food will be the next step. McDonalds McLaren, Burger King Racing, Taco Bell Williams...


Great. Keep that cancer inflicting pieces of addiction making chemical trash out of peoples system.

Edited by Kucki, 28 November 2012 - 14:53.


#13 skinnylizard

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 14:58

Uhm, this isn't even close to being accurate.

For starters tobacco companies were massive sponsors. In most cases the primary sponsor of the team and lots of event signage. Remember all the Marlboro races? This was mainly because they were banned from TV advertising but sponsorship still got them in the pictures.

As for the list, lots of problems there too.

Red Bull Red Bull (well duh, they own it)
Toro Rosso Red Bull
McLaren Lucozade (not really an 'energy drink' though they have one, I believe the version they use is closer to Gatorade/Powerade and it's a smaller sponosrship)
Ferrari TNT (I think this is mainly for Massa? Drinks bottle at most)
Mercedes AMG Monster (a small deal)
Lotus Fire (uh, it's burn)
Sauber Cuervo Tequila (this is alcohol?)
Caterham EQ8 (Fernandes' brand)
Marussia Monster (It's Monster the job search company, jesus)
Sahara Force India Vladivar Vodka, Whyte & Mackay, Kingfisher* (alcohol, and owned by the team owner)

So until we see how big the burn deal is, Red Bull is the only one that comes close to tobacco level involvement.



i dont think there are that many other major energy brands and even if there are.. doubt they could go all out and spend like RB.. it helps that Dieter is the one guy on top who can take decisions without committee.

Haven't IT guys spend a fair bit of $ in F1.. HP-Williams for a while, I think Ferrari & TCS had something going for a bit, Kaspersky & Ferrari are on going now. i remember McLaren having SAP sponsorship at some point or someone did.

I see hotel chains missing .. they should be a natural fit.. not sure why they aren't in. Fast food too.. surprising they are not in.

#14 showtime

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 15:01

I see hotel chains missing .. they should be a natural fit.. not sure why they aren't in. Fast food too.. surprising they are not in.


McLaren has Hilton as a partner.

There are some clothing brands with small deals (Pepe Jeans, Hugo Boss...), maybe one of them could become a bigger sponsor in the future the way Benetton did.

Edited by showtime, 28 November 2012 - 15:04.


#15 skinnylizard

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 15:03

What is this big deal about Energy Drinks sponsorship? I don't get it :confused:
Other than RedBull these are fairly minor deals.

Infiniti signing up to become a title sponsor is much more significant as it is comparable to what some of the teams had in the past with tobacco sponsorship. Those were big deals.



is Infiniti paying money? or just free engines via Renault

#16 Ross Stonefeld

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 15:05

It's more or less the same. But the Infiniti deal is much larger now and will involve significantly more cash.

#17 JonathanProc

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 15:18

Haven't IT guys spend a fair bit of $ in F1.. HP-Williams for a while, I think Ferrari & TCS had something going for a bit, Kaspersky & Ferrari are on going now. i remember McLaren having SAP sponsorship at some point or someone did.


Caterham (& previously Sauber?) - Dell and Intel
Ferrari - AMD

#18 Number62

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 15:28

I wonder why Coca Cola/Lotus didnt go for Relentless?

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#19 BoschKurve

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 15:35

It's more or less the same. But the Infiniti deal is much larger now and will involve significantly more cash.


And will likely provide powertrain benefits.

The Infiniti deal is likely going to be Red Bull Technologies part 2.

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#20 jrg19

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 15:37

I wonder why Coca Cola/Lotus didnt go for Relentless?

Posted Image


Already pretty big, doesn't need marketing in the same way.

I told a friend today about the Burn/Lotus deal, he hadn't heard of it... but has now, I think it could be Coca Colas last push with this brand if it doesn't take off it will probably be dropped.

#21 spacekid

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 15:41

I'm surprised fast food companies don't show any interest in sponsoring F1. Maccy D's went for the olympics in a big way. I suppose the most natural fit (outside of car companies) would be science/tech companies as f1 is a high tech sport.

What I really miss in F1 is seeing motoring related advertising. Bosch spark plugs, Champion oil filters, that sort of thing. I know that very very few people now run cars where they make brand choices about what parts to run on their cars (I still have an old car and always go with those brands because of sponsorship from decades ago, so it worked!!) but whenever I see an old race with those Bosch hordings I can smell the fumes. Lovely.

I'm open to a change in HT lead supplier if anyone is reading this and fancies a bit of end plate space on a Marussia.

#22 eronrules

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 15:44

It's more or less the same. But the Infiniti deal is much larger now and will involve significantly more cash.


it's a 20M dollar deal and according to Helmut marko, it'll go to make the car faster (i.e development)

#23 F1ultimate

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 15:54

I'm surprised fast food companies don't show any interest in sponsoring F1. Maccy D's went for the olympics in a big way. I suppose the most natural fit (outside of car companies) would be science/tech companies as f1 is a high tech sport.


The Olympics attract a much broader audience than energy drinks while energy drinks are consumed in heaps by men who love extreme sports, performance and other things i.e gamers, athletes and racing fans more fit for energy drink companies.

#24 r4mses

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 15:58

Hm, I thought it's Kingfisher airline :x

As someone else already mentioned, except for Red Bull - the obvious - those deals are minor compared to what tabacco companies used to put into F1 during the past (and allegedly still do in Ferrari's/Malboro's case). It's more like (still with less money involved I'd say looking at the size and placement of the company's logos) a few years ago, when tabacco sponsoring was banned and teams came up with IT companies (HP, Cisco, Intel, AMD, Compaq, etc.).

#25 gm914

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 16:00

Already pretty big, doesn't need marketing in the same way.

I told a friend today about the Burn/Lotus deal, he hadn't heard of it... but has now, I think it could be Coca Colas last push with this brand if it doesn't take off it will probably be dropped.

Im in the US and I've never heard of Relentless nor Burn. Are these primarily EU markets?

#26 jrg19

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 16:04

Im in the US and I've never heard of Relentless nor Burn. Are these primarily EU markets?


I think Burn might be available in Europe, Ive not seen it in the UK... Has anyone else seen Relentless outside the UK?


#27 F1ultimate

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 16:04

Im in the US and I've never heard of Relentless nor Burn. Are these primarily EU markets?


Never heard of it until the announcement and I live in the UK. I guess F1 will be a massive platform for them to push the brand.

#28 mattferg

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 16:05

F1: How energy drinks replaced tobacco advertising in Formula 1





So this got me thinking, who's left to join the fun and what will be the next big craze to sponsor in F1 teams ...


And Williams used to be sponsored by hell, another energy drink.

#29 r4mses

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 16:07

Never seen either 'Burn' or 'Relentless' in Germany (they are not mentioned on their German website either). 'Burn' appears to be available in Austria.

#30 A.Fant

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 16:07

Already pretty big, doesn't need marketing in the same way.

I told a friend today about the Burn/Lotus deal, he hadn't heard of it... but has now, I think it could be Coca Colas last push with this brand if it doesn't take off it will probably be dropped.


I found it odd that seemingly no one had heard of Burn, but this Relentless that I've never heard of is apparently more recognizable. Burn has been sold and marketed in Sweden for at least six years and I've always assumed it was Coca Cola's global answer to Red Bull. So I did some research and apparently Burn is initially from Sweden, which would explain the dissonance in recognition.

Edit: After some poking around it's apparently Coca Cola's most successful energy drink brand, sold in over 80 countries, and has been around since 2000.

Edited by A.Fant, 28 November 2012 - 16:13.


#31 jrg19

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 16:12

I found it odd that seemingly no one had heard of Burn, but this Relentless that I've never heard of is apparently more recognizable. Burn has been sold and marketed in Sweden for at least six years and I've always assumed it was Coca Cola's global answer to Red Bull. So I did some research and apparently Burn is initially from Sweden, which would explain the dissonance in recognition.


I think the biggest problem is that they are all a version of Red Bull, Its like when a company has its own brand of "CocaCola".



#32 KingB

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 16:13

Hm, I thought it's Kingfisher airline :x

As it is both - an airline and a beer - I think it covers both.
At least we have a special FI edition of kingfisher beer and I remember the little Kingfisher (erm the bird) from the beer being present on shirts and even the cars.
Anyone got confused? :D

#33 readonly

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 16:23

It is very simple. The addictive nicotine was replaced by the addictive energy drink (Cafeine) or the addictive alcohol.

Are you consuming more of these lately ?

#34 r4mses

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 16:26

It is very simple. The addictive nicotine was replaced by the addictive energy drink (Cafeine) or the addictive alcohol.

Are you consuming more of these lately ?


No, I'm not drinking overpriced suggared dishwater sold in small cans with fancy names and designs.

#35 pingu666

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 16:38

speed energy, robby gordons one :)

#36 olliek88

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 18:33

I'm just looking forward to the day when an F1 team gets sponsored by this particular energy drink...

Posted Image

#37 Frankbullitt

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 18:43

Replace something bad for your body with something just as bad.

#38 eronrules

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 18:47

I'm just looking forward to the day when an F1 team gets sponsored by this particular energy drink...

Posted Image



well F1 missed that chance ... we could've had a Virgin Pussy F1 racing ... :cat:



#39 HopkinsonF1

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 18:55

Replace something bad for your body with something just as bad.

Smoking kills 100,000 people each year in the UK. Red Bull has been linked with three deaths.

Not quite as bad, then.

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#40 Tsarwash

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 19:09

It is very simple. The addictive nicotine was replaced by the addictive energy drink (Cafeine) or the addictive alcohol.

Are you consuming more of these lately ?

That is over simplifying it far, far too much. While all three are addictive, the addictions of each are very different to each other. You really can't compare the addiction of alcohol to that of nicotine, and this is all talk for the Paddock Club. (We have a nice thread on it in there where a member went into meltdown.)
I would like to see the tobacco money back in Formula One. I have yet to see overwhelming evidence that less people are smoking in Europe because of the tobacco advertising ban. All that did was save ALL of the tobacco companies hundreds of millions of dollars each every year.


#41 MrFondue

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 19:41

Never seen either 'Burn' or 'Relentless' in Germany (they are not mentioned on their German website either). 'Burn' appears to be available in Austria.


The big retailers in Germany sell Relentless, well, at least here way up in the north.

#42 gm914

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 19:45

Smoking kills 100,000 people each year in the UK. Red Bull has been linked with three deaths.

Not quite as bad, then.

Haven't clicked on the link you provided, but let me guess-

1) Scott Speed
2) Brandon Hartley
3) Vitantonio Liuzzi



#43 MrFondue

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 19:48

Haven't clicked on the link you provided, but let me guess-

1) Scott Speed
2) Brandon Hartley
3) Vitantonio Liuzzi


Ba dum tssh!

#44 MaxCrazyEddieCayer

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Posted 28 November 2012 - 21:34

Haven't clicked on the link you provided, but let me guess-

1) Scott Speed
2) Brandon Hartley
3) Vitantonio Liuzzi

You can add a fourth one to the list: Robert Wickens.