The historic Formula One demonstration at Becketts this weekend serves as a poignant reminder of the ever-changing landscape of the sport. The demonstration, which features classic cars from the past, brings to mind the numerous brands that have come and gone over the years.
Compaq, the Texan PC maker, is a prime example of a brand that rose to prominence through its association with the sport. In 2000, Compaq became a principal sponsor of the BMW Williams team, with its logo appearing on the cars driven by Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya. However, just two years later, Compaq was acquired by Hewlett-Packard in a contentious merger, and the branding on the Williams cars was changed to reflect the new ownership.
The telecoms industry also had its share of highs and lows, with Orange and Arrows forming a partnership that ultimately ended in tragedy. The mobile operator's papaya livery made the 2000 Arrows A21 one of the most iconic cars on the grid, but the relationship was short-lived, as Arrows folded during the 2002 season due to financial difficulties. Orange, which had already been acquired by France Télécom in 2000, went on to rename the entire group Orange S.A. in 2013, a testament to the strength of the brand.
However, not all sponsorships were as successful. Leyton House, the Japanese property and leisure group, collapsed in scandal when founder Akira Akagi was arrested in 1991 over a fraud involving Fuji Bank. The team died with him, serving as a cautionary tale about the importance of due diligence when dealing with potential sponsors.
Despite the many failures, the sport itself has proven to be remarkably resilient. Canon, which backed Williams during its Mansell-Piquet era, remains a global imaging power, while Elf, the French fuel brand, lives on inside TotalEnergies. The teams themselves have also shown remarkable durability, with many undergoing name changes and rebranding over the years.
The Formula One grid has consistently been a leading indicator of the sectors that have cash, confidence, and something to prove. From cigarettes to video games, PC makers to telecoms, and now crypto exchanges, cloud computing, and logistics giants, the sport has reflected the ebbs and flows of the business world. As the £12bn UK footprint of the sport suggests, Formula One itself has never been healthier, but history suggests that the names painted on its cars may not be so permanent.
As the classic Rothmans Williams car speeds past the pits this afternoon, it's worth sparing a thought not just for the drivers who wrestled it, but for the marketing directors who signed the deals, men and women who believed, entirely reasonably, that their brands were as permanent as the sport they adorned. In business, as at Becketts, nothing stays flat-out forever.
