Google may enter F1 as sponsor

[Giuseppe F1]

http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/090528110055.shtml

Google may enter F1 as sponsor
Co-founder Larry Page takes in Monte Carlo
28/05/09 11:00

Google being wooed up and down the pitlane

The famous internet brand Google could soon be seen on the painted carbon bodywork of a Formula One car.

The company's co-founder Larry Page, one of the world's richest billionaires, was a guest of McLaren title sponsor Vodafone at last weekend's Monaco Grand Prix.

Interestingly, the 36-year-old American is a friend of Sir Richard Branson, the British billionaire who has been considering ramping up his Virgin backing of the dominant Brawn team.

Page was married on Branson's own Caribbean island, and the pair have also been linked in various business ventures.


Brawn is not the only team interested in Google sponsorship, however; every major outfit on the grid is believed to have put out the feelers as to how serious Page's interest is.

Source: GMM
© CAPSIS International

[Powered by Cosworth]

I could see the google logo sitting nicely on the brawn cars

[ST205GT4]

Whilst it would be great for F1 for Google to sponsor a team, I'm at an absolute loss as to why Google would think that it would be a good way to spend money. When your brand name has entered day to day speech like "to Google" has, how can you need more exposure?

Unless he's an F1 fan, in which case more power to him! Spend away :)

[555-04Q2]

Whilst it would be great for F1 for Google to sponsor a team, I'm at an absolute loss as to why Google would think that it would be a good way to spend money. When your brand name has entered day to day speech like "to Google" has, how can you need more exposure?

Unless he's an F1 fan, in which case more power to him! Spend away :)

Probably for tax purposes. The less you give to the taxman the better. Its a better way to spend money that give it away to an incompetent government department who will pi$$ it down the drain for you anyway.

[wmcot]

...an incompetent government department who will pi$$ it down the drain for you anyway.

Pretty much describes Max and his infernal rule changes!

[Andrewmcm]

Every team is searching for sponsorship these days....

[Jake Stephens]

This wont happen

[Jake Stephens]

This wont happen. This isnt even news. ST205GT4 is right.

[chuck34]

Could it be something like Target does in the IRL? If I understand it correctly works something like this. Target gives Ganassi $X. Then they go out and ask other companies to give them $Y, and in return they get preferential product placements in their stores, and a small decal on the car. Then they also ask another company for $Z, with the same sort of deal. So $Y and $Z add up to $X, or in all likelyhood more. So Target doesn't actually pay for the sponsorship.

I'm thinking Google could work something simmilar with search placement.

Or maybe the guy is just a race fan. :-)

[555-04Q2]

Could it be something like Target does in the IRL? If I understand it correctly works something like this. Target gives Ganassi $X. Then they go out and ask other companies to give them $Y, and in return they get preferential product placements in their stores, and a small decal on the car. Then they also ask another company for $Z, with the same sort of deal. So $Y and $Z add up to $X, or in all likelyhood more. So Target doesn't actually pay for the sponsorship.

I'm thinking Google could work something simmilar with search placement.

Or maybe the guy is just a race fan. :-)

Reading all those X's, Y's, Z's and $'s gave me a headache :p :

[chuck34]

Reading all those X's, Y's, Z's and $'s gave me a headache :p :

Sorry, I don't know any real numbers. Plus I don't have a Euro symbol on my American keyboard. ;-)

[Somebody]

Whilst it would be great for F1 for Google to sponsor a team, I'm at an absolute loss as to why Google would think that it would be a good way to spend money. When your brand name has entered day to day speech like "to Google" has, how can you need more exposure?

Actually, that's a problem for them - if a trademarked word becomes the generic term for the type of service, then they can lose the exclusive use of the trademark. Hoover, Xerox and others spend millions every year on lawyers to get book publishers to change stuff like "to hoover" & "to xerox" to "to vacuum" & "to photocopy".

[Darlo]

As long as we don't get the "Google Earth" car becasue we all know how bad the last "Earth" car was!!

[patryk]

As long as we don't get the "Google Earth" car becasue we all know how bad the last "Earth" car was!!

Apparently that is where the 'earthdreams' concept came from. Google were ready to sign the deal with Honda but the marketing group (a company called '19' or something) started haggling over commissions, Google saw their a##es and threw the teddy out of the pram, just walked away.

[Ranger]

I'll believe it when MySpace, Twitter and Facebook join as sponsors! :D