32 replies to this topic

[JL14]

Unfortunately not as a team name though...

 

https://twitter.com/...580315419316634

Exciting news

We are thrilled to announce the partnership between Alpha Tauri and the FIA as the first Official Clothing Partner, from 2024 to 2026.

Get ready for a fusion of automotive technology and high fashion, redefining style in the world of motorsport!

[JHSingo]

I'm not the sort of person who believes in all this social media conspiracy nonsense about the FIA being biased towards Red Bull or whatever, but yeah...this isn't great is it? For the governing body to have a clothing partner with a company that has a direct link to two teams on the grid...eesh. Not a great look, no pun intended. It's the sort of story you could easily mistake for being from a parody account. 

 

No doubt this was an MBS thing. But why the FIA needs an official clothing partner now when it never has previously is doubly odd. 

[Nathan]

It's fine, you are reaching/searching.  There is nothing odd about clothing partners in sports.  In fact, it's odd there hasn't been.

[midgrid]

Is it any different from Mercedes and Aston Martin supplying the safety cars?

[Risil]

"Get ready for a fusion of automotive technology and high fashion!"

[JimmyClark]

Is it any different from Mercedes and Aston Martin supplying the safety cars?

Or McLaren supplying the ECUs.

[noikeee]

"Get ready for a fusion of automotive technology and high fashion!"

 

Is there like, some kind of procedure we should do to get ready? Hold our breath for 5 seconds? Get into fetal position?

 

What tremendously exciting news, this has made my evening.

[gowebber]

Lol this is akin to cricket umpires or soccer refs teaming up with a clothing brand. Not exactly the epitome of cool. Somebody say nerds? 🤣

Edited by gowebber, 20 February 2024 - 00:57.

[Sammyed]

Translation...RedBull are partnering with the FIA as seen on X.

[jradicals]

I was going to say I thought this deal already existed, but that was AlphaTauri supplying the clothing for F1/FOM since 2022...

https://formularapid...r-of-the-sport/

[Burai]

Is it any different from Mercedes and Aston Martin supplying the safety cars?

 

Somewhat, in that there are only so many companies who are able - and willing - to provide suitable vehicles. Same story with standard parts; a vanishingly small number of options able to produce the parts, to budget, on time, most of them rooted in elite motorsports.

 

I would imagine the pool of potential clothing suppliers to be magnitudes larger and without any special technical requirements. So if the tendering process were truly open and transparent, it would take some appalling luck for them all to lose out to the only one that happens to have a potential conflict of interest like this. Perhaps AlphaTauri make the absolute best trousers in the world. Alas, I've never seen them in any clothing shops I frequent, so my legs and buttocks have never known the pleasure.

 

Very bad luck, indeed.

[IrvTheSwerve]

I assume the branding will be subtle/not showing, but it's a bit strange having Alpha Tauri 'leave' as a team and then hear them still mentioned within the sport.

 

Anyway, the social media explosion about the 'Redbull/FIA collusion' thing is hilarious. I love modern F1 fandom.

[JimmyClark]

Somewhat, in that there are only so many companies who are able - and willing - to provide suitable vehicles. Same story with standard parts; a vanishingly small number of options able to produce the parts, to budget, on time, most of them rooted in elite motorsports.

 

I would imagine the pool of potential clothing suppliers to be magnitudes larger and without any special technical requirements. So if the tendering process were truly open and transparent, it would take some appalling luck for them all to lose out to the only one that happens to have a potential conflict of interest like this. Perhaps AlphaTauri make the absolute best trousers in the world. Alas, I've never seen them in any clothing shops I frequent, so my legs and buttocks have never known the pleasure.

 

Very bad luck, indeed.

 

I don't see the problem in having a racing-orientated clothing brand as the chosen brand for the FIA. Thier commerical arm is completely separate from the day-to-day rulemaking/scrutineering/F1 management side anyway, so it really is a non-issue. 

[Risil]

Is there like, some kind of procedure we should do to get ready? Hold our breath for 5 seconds? Get into fetal position?

 

What tremendously exciting news, this has made my evening.

I also like how in the quotes they're just totally ignoring that AlphaTauri was the name of an actual F1 team for the last 5 years and now it's like "F1... and fashion?!?!"

[dmj]

"Get ready for a fusion of automotive technology and high fashion, redefining style in the world of motorsport!" reminds me of late Denis Jenkinson, who reacted to introduction of mandatory seatbelts by having made a jumper with a stripe mimicking the safety belt, so that cops couldn't notice he's not using any...

[aportinga]

One of our members here works for FedEx and had a delivery at a younger kids clothing store called PAC SUN and at the front of the store was F1 Team shirts for all 10 teams.

 

Insane - never thought I'd hear of something like that in the States! Wonder if they were Alpha Tauri?

[juicy sushi]

It's fine, you are reaching/searching.  There is nothing odd about clothing partners in sports.  In fact, it's odd there hasn't been.

I think Puma's had deals with a few teams/manufacturers for years now.  Definitely Porsche and I think others.  

[OvDrone]

This has to be a huge conflict of interest. How could it not ?!

Right now, the fia are by far my least favorite thing in the whole of Motorsport. Corrupt and utterly incompetent just like so much of the 'leadership' in our current times.

[balmybaldwin]

The FIA are the referees of the motorsport world.  Not only should they show no bias, but they must be seen to show no bias to be a credible arbitrator and part of that should be to limit it's procurement to non-motorsport related entities where possible. And where it's not possible don't do it as a promoted partnership. 

 

We all know historically they have failed in this basic task, but decisions to do things like this clearly show MBS & Co just don't get it and are just there to grow the FIA brand and cash in

[JHSingo]

Is it any different from Mercedes and Aston Martin supplying the safety cars?

 

Yes. The safety car is essential, and it has to be a high performance car. 

 

The other, an official clothing partner, isn't. Moreover, despite my very limited knowledge of fashion, I happen to know there are plenty of other companies that make clothes - and which also have no direct involvement with two of the teams in the sport the governing body is responsible for. 

 

In the age of social media conspiracy theory nonsense being so rife, this just isn't a good look for the sport. Next time there's some controversy involving Red Bull, no matter what it is, you can guarantee that some will point to this deal as evidence of corruption or a conflict of interest. Whilst that is clearly nonsense, signing a deal that encourages those sorts of beliefs is just a bit daft, really, and potentially causes more trouble than it's worth. 

Edited by JHSingo, 20 February 2024 - 15:25.

[IrvTheSwerve]

Yes. The safety car is essential, and it has to be a high performance car. 

 

The other, an official clothing partner, isn't. Moreover, despite my very limited knowledge of fashion, I happen to know there are plenty of other companies that make clothes - and which also have no direct involvement with two of the teams in the sport the governing body is responsible for. 

 

In the age of social media conspiracy theory nonsense being so rife, this just isn't a good look for the sport. Next time there's some controversy involving Red Bull, no matter what it is, you can guarantee that some will point to this deal as evidence of corruption or a conflict of interest. Whilst that is clearly nonsense, signing a deal that encourages those sorts of beliefs is just a bit daft, really, and potentially causes more trouble than it's worth. 

 

To be fair there are a myriad of other high-performance car companies that could supply the SC.

[IrvTheSwerve]

The FIA are the referees of the motorsport world.  Not only should they show no bias, but they must be seen to show no bias to be a credible arbitrator and part of that should be to limit it's procurement to non-motorsport related entities where possible. And where it's not possible don't do it as a promoted partnership. 

 

 

"We really should penalise Max there...but this shirt is so, so comfortable!".

[midgrid]

"We really should penalise Max there...but this shirt is so, so comfortable!".

 

I think it's more a case of wanting to avoid the sandpaper underwear.

[Burtros]

I’m only here to laugh at anyone who thinks this is another sign of FIA bias after years of watching a Mercedes or Aston Martin support car without complaining.

Epic.

[JHSingo]

To be fair there are a myriad of other high-performance car companies that could supply the SC.

 

True, but it's pretty impossible for AM or Merc to use that deal to benefit them on the race track. Let's be honest, it'd be pretty obvious if the SC suddenly appeared on track conveniently for a relatively minor incident just when Alonso or Hamilton needed to catch up to the leader or whatever, and particularly if it happened repeatedly, wouldn't it? So, I have no problem with that at all. 

 

Whereas something like this...well, you'd hope to goodness that there's nothing dodgy going on behind closed doors, but the fact that we don't know for sure could easily fuel any conspiracy theories. And yeah, the clothing partner having the same name as a team on the grid up to last year, explain that one to casual fans who haven't been paying close attention. It just looks a not very smart decision, to me. 

Edited by JHSingo, 20 February 2024 - 15:55.

[IrvTheSwerve]

True, but it's pretty impossible for AM or Merc to use that deal to benefit them on the race track. Let's be honest, it'd be pretty obvious if the SC suddenly appeared on track conveniently for a relatively minor incident just when Alonso or Hamilton needed to catch up to the leader or whatever, and particularly if it happened repeatedly, wouldn't it? So, I have no problem with that at all. 

 

Whereas something like this...well, you'd hope to goodness that there's nothing dodgy going on behind closed doors, but the fact that we don't know for sure could easily fuel any conspiracy theories. And yeah, the clothing partner having the same name as a team on the grid up to last year, explain that one to casual fans who haven't been paying close attention. It just looks a not very smart decision, to me. 

 

You could argue (and I've brought this up before - before AM had a SC and it was just Mercedes) that they could pass on track information to the Mercedes GP team (e.g. during a red flag). I'm pretty sure that this doesn't happen, but that would directly affect the competition.

 

Stefano Domenicali wearing some Alpha Tauri underwear is going to affect bugger all.

[JimmyClark]

I've seen some mountains made out of molehills on this forum, but those who genuinely believe something nefarious is afoot here might top the lot 

Edited by JimmyClark, 20 February 2024 - 16:11.

[JHSingo]

I’m only here to laugh at anyone who thinks this is another sign of FIA bias after years of watching a Mercedes or Aston Martin support car without complaining.

Epic.

 

 

I've seen some mountains made out of molehills on this forum, but those who genuinely believe something nefarious is afoot here might top the lot 

 

Let me be clear: *I* personally don't believe it will. However, I won't be at all surprised - given the many daft things that often get posted on social media (for instance, the alarming number of people who believe Abu Dhabi '21 was deliberately rigged in Red Bull's favour) if some people do. 

 

My belief is that this deal is A: totally unnecessary (why does the FIA NEED an 'official clothing partner'?) and B: it potentially cause people to go wild with crazy conspiracy theories and unfounded allegations the next time there's some controversy involving Red Bull. And that would be totally avoidable if they'd just signed a deal with a company, of which there are many, that has no direct involvement with any team on the grid.

Edited by JHSingo, 20 February 2024 - 16:23.

[JimmyClark]

Let me be clear: *I* personally don't believe it will. However, I won't be at all surprised - given the many daft things that often get posted on social media (for instance, the alarming number of people who believe Abu Dhabi '21 was deliberately rigged in Red Bull's favour) if some people do. 

 

My belief is that this deal is A: totally unnecessary (why does the FIA NEED an 'official clothing partner'?) and B: it potentially cause people to go wild with crazy conspiracy theories and unfounded allegations the next time there's some controversy involving Red Bull. And that would be totally avoidable if they'd just signed a deal with a company, of which there are many, that has no direct involvement with any team on the grid.

 

 

I certainly get your point that this will send the social media loons off on one, but companies shouldn't need to make business decisions based on the 'bottom half of the internet', as Dave Gorman would call it. 

 

For A) The FIA are skint, and likely this clothing partnership will come with some form of sponsorship, or at least meaning the FIA won't need to spend money on unifroms for their team at races. All big sporting organisations now have 'partners' in everything (in football, Spurs have Dulux as their official paint partner, Liverpool have an official coconut water partner, and Gulf Oil are Man U's 'official lubricant partner') as a way of making a little bit extra on the side.

 

For B) Fair point I guess, but why not go with a company that has involvement in motor sport? And to be honest, the FIA's commercial arm probably has better contacts within the motorsport world to do deals hence why Alpha Tauri came about. I'm surprised they didn't ask Flav to find his old contacts at Benetton though... 

 

Though, on a small tangent, I do wonder if the deal would have happened had Alpha Tauri still been a name on the grid? (I presume it would have done, but maybe they were sensitive to it to a small extent). 

Edited by JimmyClark, 20 February 2024 - 17:27.

[Risil]

The problem with these "people are saying" arguments is that it allows you to entertain all sorts of nonsense and then walk away from the consequences. Anyway, carry on...

[Beri]

"Get ready for a fusion of automotive technology and high fashion!"

 

You gotta love the effort the marketing team and media outlet of said parties put into making these sterile and non saying sentences up.

[Risil]

You gotta love the effort the marketing team and media outlet of said parties put into making these sterile and non saying sentences up.

They had so little to work with!

[RedRabbit]

I’m only here to laugh at anyone who thinks this is another sign of FIA bias after years of watching a Mercedes or Aston Martin support car without complaining.

Epic.

And it hasn't disappointed