Most marketable F1 driver

[eytl]

For what any list like this is worth:

http://www.foxsports.com.au/more-sports/formula-one-ace-lewis-hamilton-has-been-named-the-worlds-most-marketable-athlete/story-e6frf56c-1226923690372

According to this, the four most marketable open-wheeler drivers in the world are, in order:

1. Lewis Hamilton
2. Sebastian Vettel
3. Daniil Kvyat
4. Simona de Silvestro (!!!)

Go figure and/or discuss.

[Jocke1]

For me, most marketable open-wheeler/tin-top drivers are;

1. Max Chilton
2. Juan-Pablo Montoya
3. Bobby Labonte
4. Facu Regalia / Tio Ellinas

HM - Craig Lowndes

[dr-baker]

I surprised that it isn't:

1. Danica Patrick
2. Pippa Mann
3. Simona de Silvestro

[pasta_maldonado]

I surprised that it isn't:

1. Danica Patrick
2. Pippa Mann
3. Simona de Silvestro

Coincidentally, if you were to reverse that list, it would be in order of likeability

[dr-baker]

I surprised that it isn't:

1. Danica Patrick
2. Pippa Mann
3. Simona de Silvestro

Coincidentally, if you were to reverse that list, it would be in order of likeability

Almost! Pippa and Simona, I would have as equal 1st...

EDIT: Of course, Susie Wolff would be the genuine most likeable and marketable, hence why she's doing FP1 in Germany and Britain...

[Turbogirl]

I surprised that it isn't:

1. Danica Patrick
2. Pippa Mann
3. Simona de Silvestro

Danica doesn't count as an open-wheel driver anymore, since she left for NASCAR.

But yeah, seeing Simona that high on the list is pretty surprising, considering she was never really mentioned at all during the late-2000s when Danica-Mania swept the world and Danica refused to drive in F1. Didn't think a test drive for Sauber would change so much.

Also, why are the top 4 only F1 related drivers? There are quite a few IndyCar drivers I can think of, who are also pretty marketable. Take "Hinch" for example. He's a funny, down-to-earth guy with lots of charisma. Okay, he might be more well-known in the US than in the rest of the world... which actually brings me to an interesting question:

How the hell do you measure marketability?

[Jocke1]

How the hell do you measure marketability?

With this;

[Aerospeed]

Daniil Kvyat third??? What does Fox Sports know anyway?

Not surprising to see Hamilton and Vettel up there. Alonso and Raikkonen should be higher given that they are in Ferrari and that they both have huge followings in their respective countries. You can't count out on the two McLaren drivers as well.

[AustralianStig]

Daniil Kvyat third??? What does Fox Sports know anyway?

Not surprising to see Hamilton and Vettel up there. Alonso and Raikkonen should be higher given that they are in Ferrari and that they both have huge followings in their respective countries. You can't count out on the two McLaren drivers as well.

I was originally thinking that Kimi would have been right up there, but then thinking about it more he's not actually that marketable. Sure, he's awesome, and people love him, but his PR track record isn't exactly good...

[watka]

What about Jenson "1-2-3 Account" Button?

Surprised to see Vettel so high up given his universal unpopularity with Average Joe.

[RonDenisDeletraz]

I surprised that it isn't:

1. Danica Patrick
2. Pippa Mann
3. Simona de Silvestro

Coincidentally, if you were to reverse that list, it would be in order of likeability

Almost! Pippa and Simona, I would have as equal 1st...

EDIT: Of course, Beitske Visser would be the genuine most likeable and marketable, hence why she hill hopefully doing FP1 in Germany and Britain in 2016...

FIXXD

[CoopsII]

When Chilton wins on Sunday his marketability will sky-rocket, movie-rights will be discussed, Alonso will be checking how water-tight his contract actually is and Jacques Villenueve will write his first decent song about him.

[BigG80]

Lyrics to Jacques Villeneuve's #1 song: Chilton Gives Me Chills

[verse]
When I'm maxxed out on the straights
And maxxed out in the bends
One man will always be
More maxxed out than me

[bridge]
Ooh, he gives me the chills
And oh, he gives the fans the thrills
Ooh, he gives me the chills

[chorus]
He's got the talent, he is the talent
He's got the talent, he is the talent
Hey Max Chilton once you please teach me

[Cynon]

For what any list like this is worth:

http://www.foxsports.com.au/more-sports/formula-one-ace-lewis-hamilton-has-been-named-the-worlds-most-marketable-athlete/story-e6frf56c-1226923690372

According to this, the four most marketable open-wheeler drivers in the world are, in order:

1. Lewis Hamilton
2. Sebastian Vettel
3. Daniil Kvyat
4. Simona de Silvestro (!!!)

Go figure and/or discuss.

Funny. Simona gets a reputation for being the anti-Danica and she finds herself in Danica's position -- just 10 years later.

[Wallio]

Daniil Kvyat third??? What does Fox Sports know anyway?

Not surprising to see Hamilton and Vettel up there. Alonso and Raikkonen should be higher given that they are in Ferrari and that they both have huge followings in their respective countries. You can't count out on the two McLaren drivers as well.

In Soviet Russia, market finds you! Seriously though, he's huge over there.

Overall, I'd say the total list (all drivers) would be something like this:

1.) Danica (when your 23rd place finish is headline news at ESPN.com, you're #1 here)
2.) Jimmie Johnson (Go to a Lowe's with seeing his face. I dare ya)
3.)Lewis Hamiliton (The hip-hop lifestyle has its perks)
4.) Vettel (He's in Infiniti commercials even over here now)
5.) Ken Block (debateable, but all the hipsters now him, plus he just raced #3 on this list in Barbados)

[Salamander]

Overall, I'd say the total list (all drivers) would be something like this:

1.) Danica (when your 23rd place finish is headline news at ESPN.com, you're #1 here)
2.) Jimmie Johnson (Go to a Lowe's with seeing his face. I dare ya)
3.)Lewis Hamiliton (The hip-hop lifestyle has its perks)
4.) Vettel (He's in Infiniti commercials even over here now)
5.) Ken Block (debateable, but all the hipsters now him, plus he just raced #3 on this list in Barbados)

Uh, nobody outside the US really gives a crap about Jimmie Johnson. And if that list was US-only, you're missing Dale Jr.

[Jocke1]

And if that list was Canada-only, you're missing Isabelle Tremblay.

fixxxed

[mario]

Daniil Kvyat third??? What does Fox Sports know anyway?

Not surprising to see Hamilton and Vettel up there. Alonso and Raikkonen should be higher given that they are in Ferrari and that they both have huge followings in their respective countries. You can't count out on the two McLaren drivers as well.

I was originally thinking that Kimi would have been right up there, but then thinking about it more he's not actually that marketable. Sure, he's awesome, and people love him, but his PR track record isn't exactly good...

With Kvyat, I would assume that the vast chunk of his marketability comes from his association with Red Bull and, because he is a Russian driver, he might potentially open up access to the Russian market (although, with major outflows of capital from the Russian economy in the past few months and ongoing tensions over the Ukrainian situation, the Russian economy is taking a pretty major hit right now, which would cut into Kvyat's marketability quite a bit).

[Onxy Wrecked]

Daniil Kvyat third??? What does Fox Sports know anyway?

Not surprising to see Hamilton and Vettel up there. Alonso and Raikkonen should be higher given that they are in Ferrari and that they both have huge followings in their respective countries. You can't count out on the two McLaren drivers as well.

Kvyat must be HUGE in Russia.

For what any list like this is worth:

http://www.foxsports.com.au/more-sports/formula-one-ace-lewis-hamilton-has-been-named-the-worlds-most-marketable-athlete/story-e6frf56c-1226923690372

According to this, the four most marketable open-wheeler drivers in the world are, in order:

1. Lewis Hamilton
2. Sebastian Vettel
3. Daniil Kvyat
4. Simona de Silvestro (!!!)

Go figure and/or discuss.

Funny. Simona gets a reputation for being the anti-Danica and she finds herself in Danica's position -- just 10 years later.

Without half the fanfare in the US or the win at Motegi.

[LellaLombardi]

Interesting thread. Hamilton has obvious appeal, but is a bit too prone to putting his foot in it. Mercedes seem to be sorting that out with him, although whether there is a correlation between improved results and his PR skills, well I wouldn't like to speculate.

It depends on the territory really. Perez is popular throughout Latin America, much moreso than Maldonado (well obvs) and is nearing Senna status in Mexico. He has a foundation similar to Ayrton's and the way people there describe him is very reminiscent of the footage on the Senna film. Basically they are delighted that their country might be known for something other than negative issues.

Ditto Massa, who still has a strong following in Brazil and has always been very marketable. It seems the Piquet family are hated there.

Simona is the female F1 driver we've all been waiting for I think. I think she's great, both as a driver and a person.

[lgaquino]

About piquet sr, it's not so much of hate really. Not back then and especially not now..
Back then, senna went on to have an almost god like status for the "casual fan". And piquet being so much different, and not giving a bathplug to all that, was less liked.
Nowadays it's different I think...
As for piquet jr, he's an embarrassement. Even for piqiet sr, I suspect :p

[Frentzen127]

It depends on the territory really. Perez is popular throughout Latin America, much moreso than Maldonado (well obvs) and is nearing Senna status in Mexico.

Not here in Colombia he ain't, and cetainly nowhere else bar Mexico. The only one who is barely popular is Maldonado cuz hes a neighbour and even then he's still fairly obscure.
F1 has a very small following, mostly by casual viewers, and not even the litany of Colombian drivers in Indy or elsewhere has been able to take motosports to the popularity they had during the Montoya years (themselves having come about because of all the hype)

It should be noted however that Claro doesn't shy away from its f1 links in advertisement, but the Mexican drivers do not feature by name in any ads not posted in Mexico.
Perez is not universally popular in Mexico either, fans from Monterrey are biased towards their local driver (Gutierrez) not unlike the way Paulistas would pick Senna while Cariocas would pick Piquet.

[CarlosFerreira]

It's an interesting exercise, but I reckon the most marketable driver in the world remains Ayrton Senna. I don't want to be polemic, but every single year the press rolls out the "remember Ayrton" bandwagon, and away we go for 3 weeks. It's like he's the James Dean of motorsports.