How Sponsorship Redefines an Audience: Lessons from F1’s Evolution.
- Arantza Asali
- Aug 5
- 4 min read
Sponsorship in motorsport is more than branding. It’s a mirror; it reflects who the sport believes its audience is and, more importantly, who it wants that audience to become. Formula 1 offers a clear case study in how sponsorship has reshaped its identity over decades, and how other racing series, from MotoGP to NASCAR, might follow suit to grow, diversify, and future-proof their audiences.
The 1970s–1980s: The age of tobacco and men
In F1’s early commercial era, the dominant sponsors were tobacco brands: Marlboro, Camel, Rothmans. These companies invested heavily, placing their logos on liveries, helmets, and suits, turning racing cars into rolling billboards. And it wasn’t just about money, there was a deep cultural alignment in these sponsorships.
Tobacco sponsorship matched the F1 audience. At the time, F1’s fanbase was overwhelmingly male, working-class to aspirational middle-class, and drawn to danger, glamour, and rebellion. Tobacco amplified the mythos of F1 as a sport for fearless men living fast, on and off the track. It created a seductive brand of motorsport where high stakes, high risk and high testosterone defined the environment.
The 1990s–2000s: Tech, telecoms, and the global stage
As health regulations pushed tobacco out, a new wave of sponsors arrived: tech firms, telecoms, and global consumer brands. Think Vodafone with Ferrari, Intel with BMW Sauber, or HP with Williams. This shift reflected the sport’s growing global reach and appeal to more affluent, tech-savvy fans.
Audiences were no longer only watching from pub TVs in Europe; they were streaming from Asia, attending Grands Prix in the Middle East, and engaging via early social media. So sponsorship followed suit, targeting global consumers with disposable income, embracing innovation and connectivity as new values in motorsport.
The 2010s–early 2020s: Finance, crypto, and high-Performance Lifestyle
Following the tech wave came finance: banks, investment firms, and, more recently, crypto. These sponsors chased F1’s increasingly elite status. F1 had become a luxury sport, aligned with exclusivity and prestige; but also one that demonstrated the peak of a good life. It appealed to high-net-worth individuals, luxury consumers, and tech entrepreneurs.
However, this era also exposed limitations. The sport was at risk of appearing too exclusive with male-domination now coming under criticism, and many norms in the space remaining out of touch with emerging cultural conversations about inclusivity, sustainability, and representation.
Today: The beauty industry and the changing face of F1
Enter: beauty brands. Their emergence as F1 sponsors is not another marketing trend, it rather signals a redefinition of who motorsport is for.
Take Aston Martin Aramco. Partnering with skincare brand Elemis and nail wrap company Glaize, they've introduced spa activations and cosmetic offerings at races, driving engagement especially among women. Charlotte Tilbury’s sponsorship of the F1 Academy, further cements beauty as an active player in reshaping motorsport’s audience and values.
These deals aren’t decorative, they’re disruptive. They reflect the data showing women now make up more than 40% of F1’s global fanbase, and a younger demographic (16–24) is increasingly engaged through platforms like TikTok and shows like Drive to Survive. Beauty brands speak directly to these fans, offering lifestyle connections, not just race-day hype.
What This Means:
Each phase of F1 sponsorship reflected, and shaped, the sport's audience:
Tobacco: F1 as danger and masculinity.
Tech & Telecom: F1 as innovation and global progress.
Finance & Crypto: F1 as elite and aspirational.
Beauty: F1 as inclusive, expressive, and culture-connected.
In 2025, sponsors are looking for mora than brand visibility. They want emotional engagement, cultural resonance, and long-term loyalty. F1’s most forward-thinking partners are those that see the sport not as a static tradition, but as a living cultural platform.
So, what’s next?
Other motorsport categories have a huge opportunity to evolve their sponsorship strategies in the same way F1 has; by aligning more deeply with the realities and aspirations of their audiences.
MotoGP
Still heavily dominated by energy drinks and motorcycle gear brands, MotoGP could tap into fitness, wellness, and mental performance sectors. Think meditation apps for rider focus, hydration partners, or even lifestyle nutrition brands that connect with both riders and fans. MotoGP fans are fiercely loyal and increasingly health-conscious. Why not meet them there?
IndyCar
IndyCar has seen rising attention thanks to crossover drivers and Netflix rumours. It’s ripe for entertainment, education, and STEM sponsorships. Kids’ brands, STEM kits, or women-in-tech initiatives could tap into school partnerships, bringing a new generation into the paddock; especially one that sees motorsport as an engineering challenge, not just a speed contest.
NASCAR
NASCAR, with its deeply embedded U.S. audience, could explore partnerships with country lifestyle brands, sustainable farming tech, or even heritage beauty and grooming companies that speak to a rural but digitally connected audience. NASCAR fans are not a monolith, they’re increasingly diverse and mobile-first. Sponsors that reflect this diversity could both drive profits and shift perceptions.
Sponsorship as strategy, not sticker
The lesson from F1 is clear: sponsorship can do more than fund a season, it can redefine who watches, who participates, and who feels like they belong.
By aligning with emerging industries like beauty, wellness, education, or sustainability, motorsport can unlock massive commercial value while transforming its audience to reflect the true face of its fans: younger, more diverse, more connected, and more engaged than ever before.
In a world where brand presence needs to mean something, sponsorship must evolve from passive placement to active participation. Done right, it becomes not just part of the story, but the reason new audiences show up in the first place.
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