Why F1 can't turn its back on manufacturers
We often hear claims that Formula 1 has to be 'road relevant' and boast the potential for 'technology transfer' - but what does that really mean between a 900bhp single-seater and what's on offer in your local showroom?
Formula 1 offers a lot to road car manufacturers in terms of its global reach, the number of eyeballs that tune in to watch races, and the marketing efforts possible around such a high-profile sport. But offset that by the hundreds of millions it costs to compete at the top level - how can it be worth it? How can racing in F1 improve the breed in 2017?
An interesting case study is Renault, and its alliance with Nissan. The Japanese marque's luxury brand, which first appeared in the United States, is Infiniti - whose name you currently see emblazoned on the RS17.
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Charles Bradley is Motorsport.com’s Global Editor in Chief. After spending five years in the aerospace industry in his native North Wales, while working weekends as a freelance writer at racetracks around the UK, Charles joined the staff of Motoring News in the heart of London. He transferred to the nascent Autosport.com team in 2000 before transitioning to the magazine, becoming its Editor between 2011 and 2014. Charles then upped sticks to work in America, as Motorsport.com’s Editor in Chief, where he created the multi-national and multi-lingual editorial team that quickly became the world’s most-read motorsport website. He was instrumental in delivering three of the biggest Global F1 Fan Surveys in sports history and is also a multiple award-winning scriptwriter. Charles is an overseas member of the Guild of Motoring Writers. He lives in Miami Beach with his wife Helen – and a cat that’s named after Serbia’s top football club.
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