Its sponsorship partnership with Crimson Bull, and a high-profile presence it has at this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix and the forthcoming Las Vegas occasion, are far more about shifting perceptions of what it’s about now.
Whereas it could be finest recognized for the chain of greater than 250 Laborious Rock Cafes world wide, its push into the lodge and on line casino enterprise have seen it evolve in to an leisure and life-style model – and it sees F1 has the right approach to get that message throughout.
In truth, nothing helped it extra in doing that than the Laborious Rock Seashore Membership it arrange on the Miami Grand Prix final 12 months – and which is in returning in a much bigger and higher method for this weekend.
The enduring swimming pool and cabana set-up, bringing actual sand to an F1 monitor because it hosted day-long events, offered among the extra memorable photos and sounds of final 12 months’s Miami GP spectacle.
As Laborious Rock Worldwide’s President of Leisure, Keith Sheldon defined to Motorsport.com: “Laborious Rock’s model consciousness is nearly second to none. However model notion is one thing that we’re seeking to shift with customers.
“It’s that we’re a world model, and we’re culturally related. We’re simply scratching the floor in relation to our involvement with all the largest and finest cultural points of interest.
“F1 definitely helps us break via to the patron on a world stage, greater than actually virtually another sport.”
Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing RB18, Sergio Perez, Crimson Bull Racing RB18, Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo C42, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13
Photograph by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Increase within the USA
Laborious Rock was a founding accomplice of the Miami GP that takes place across the Laborious Rock Stadium, and is likely one of the wealth of US sponsors which have change into interested in F1 as a part of Liberty Media’s enlargement effort within the nation.
Up to now, F1 struggled to make the breakthrough within the US, with occasions in Indianapolis, Phoenix and Dallas by no means lasting the length.
However Sheldon believes that the present surge of curiosity is the results of the sequence having achieved one thing very completely different with the Netflix: Drive to Survive sequence.
“I believe there was a core F1 fan base that existed in the US to start with,” he stated.
“They watched the races on the weekends, they quietly celebrated a victory for his or her favorite workforce, however they did not actually have an outlet to speak to anyone about it.
“I believe Netflix introduced Method 1 to the mainstream. It is introduced among the behind-the-scenes storylines to the forefront, and it is created nice discuss worth, which has expanded the viewers.
“From a popular culture perspective, even when you’re not a giant racing fan, it is created an attraction the place you need to go to Monaco, you need to go to Silverstone, you need to go to Mexico. These are nice issues for the game.”
And it’s occasions like Miami – with its Pretend Marina in addition to the Laborious Rock Seashore Membership – which have helped additional embellish F1’s glamorous picture.
“Miami specifically, it is the spectacle tradition of South Florida,” Sheldon added. “Individuals come out in droves for large occasions and Laborious Rock, we’re within the massive occasion enterprise. So, it’s the kind of good marriage when it comes to F1’s recognition.
“Actually, the Drive to Survive sequence on Netflix set the desk for American involvement within the sport. However the rising recognition and development in the US in North America usually, I believe is attributable to how nice the racing has been. There are nice storylines on and off the monitor. It was simply that preliminary introduction that was required.”
Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing RB19
Photograph by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
The Crimson Bull partnership – and intelligent brand placement
The worldwide F1 growth satisfied Laborious Rock to do extra than simply be concerned with Miami and Las Vegas – it additionally dedicated to changing into a sponsor and accomplice with Crimson Bull.
It now hosts F1 watch events at Laborious Rock cafes, and runs promotions and loyalty choices to take advantage of its tie-up.
Having just lately reached exterior the USA via a partnership with footballer Lionel Messi, F1’s world attain meant it was a no brainer for Laborious Rock to discover a approach to capitalise on the alternatives of grand prix racing and particularly the brand new youthful viewers.
Sheldon added: “I believe that it is F1’s worldwide demographic, with races in so many gateway cities the place Laborious Rock has operations, which suggests there’s great overlap.
“Plus I believe it is these top quality experiences and with the ability to supply a few of our prime prospects these cash cannot purchase experiences, whether or not it is a storage tour in Milton Keynes that almost all do not ever have entry to, or a seat within the paddock membership in Monaco or Mexico Metropolis, or a particular stroll down the pit lane in Miami.
“These are issues that we are able to supply to our prospects, whether or not it is via prizes, giveaways, advertising promotions, or simply creating key contact factors with a few of our prime visitors to indicate how a lot we care about their loyalty. All of this stuff are important to us. And F1 permits us to examine all these bins.”
Laborious Rock’s sponsorship cope with Crimson Bull isn’t the largest the workforce has, nevertheless it has definitely been fairly intelligent with the place its logos are positioned.
The entrance wheel hub stickers are very noticeable from the on-board cameras. And, whereas its logos on the again of the drivers’ forearm sleeves is probably not in-your-face more often than not, they arrive in to their very own when Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez are on the rostrum – serving to ship a connection between the corporate and success.
As Sheldon explains: “Once they’re holding that trophy within the air, there’s that affiliation with Laborious Rock and profitable that we love.”
Sergio Perez, Crimson Bull RB18
Photograph by: Crimson Bull Content material Pool
Embracing the longer term
Laborious Rock’s greater and bolder plans for the Seashore Membership in Miami this weekend are proof that it views F1’s latest calendar addition a hit.
Final 12 months was a step in to the unknown, because the Miami occasion was an F1 race that put far more give attention to the off-track leisure issue than has been the case at different venues.
Massive acts just like the Jonas Brothers and Tiesto have already been confirmed for the Seashore Membership this weekend, with the expanded footprint of the venue being tweaked to maneuver it even nearer to the monitor.
Suggestions from followers, race bosses and Liberty Media was overwhelmingly constructive.
“We had been excited to be slightly little bit of a guinea pig,” added Sheldon. “And we’ll double down on that idea that it labored and was efficient. It was nice for the race tradition, and it was nice for the game and including that leisure component to all of it.”
However whereas Miami will dominate consideration this weekend, the excitement across the return of the Las Vegas Grand Prix can be rising.
Laborious Rock, which final 12 months accomplished a $1 billion buy of the Mirage Lodge on the Las Vegas strip, is an official presenting accomplice of the grand prix and is ready for a giant profile over the weekend.
“It was a pure development for us to become involved in Las Vegas too,” continued Sheldon. “While you’re speaking concerning the first 12 months of Miami Grand Prix, there have been loads of the uncertainties and unknowns that may unfold with Las Vegas. However we’re excited to be a part of the combination.
“We’re excited to be taught extra about what is going on to occur there. However that ought to be a whole metropolis takeover and, with the Mirage sitting on the 50-yard line of the Las Vegas Strip, it simply made good sense for us to become involved.”
However whereas F1 is driving the crest of the wave within the US, grand prix racing’s bosses know that they have to proceed to work laborious to maintain curiosity ranges excessive.
Sheldon is satisfied, nonetheless, that there’s each alternative for F1 to have a long-lasting future within the nation and never simply be a passing fad.
“I believe the racing has been so good that, so long as it continues to be that method, and so long as the storylines proceed to be juicy, it would not take a Netflix present to extend the recognition of the game,” he stated.
“There’s ESPN’s media rights deal for Method 1 and with the ability to present these races to so many American households. That is one other important issue, simply having entry in North America to race weekends, seeing qualifying, seeing the races themselves on Sundays. That can be important to the expansion of the game.
“I believe with extra American races, a rising tide lifts all ships right here and hopefully continues to develop the recognition of the game.
“We have definitely invested closely in it. We’re agency believers that that is going to have fairly a little bit of endurance and change into a staple within the sporting scene.”
