When motorsport becomes a PR stunt
A few thoughts on the use of Felix Baumgartner:
Who doesn't wish to be able to turn their childhood dreams into reality? Most of us are allowed to do so, but a few are given this chance. Felix Baumgartner jumped from a capsule in the stratosphere down to earth last year. It was a daring maneuver and quite a few said that one thing above all is needed for this: the desire for madness. Felix Baumgartner did something that undoubtedly includes a good portion of “Cojones”. Whether the madness was part of it - no idea. He did it in the context of highly professional media work by RedBull. RedBull has long been more than just a caffeine soda. RedBull is first and foremost a media empire. And anyone who deals with the sometimes dangerous sports marketed by RedBull - cannot avoid this video:
But it's not supposed to be about RedBull, because the idea for using Felix Baumgartner in the 24-hour race apparently comes from Audi alone.
Now the Audi sports department has hung itself in the slipstream of Felix Baumgartner's media success. And if you listened to Felix Baumgartner at the press conference on the pre24h race two weeks ago, racing has always been a “boy's dream” for him. And the 24h race on the Nürburgring is the greatest challenge.
2014 Felix Baumgartner wants to participate in the 24h race in the Eifel.
Audi makes this dream possible and prepares it accordingly for use. Unlike recommended by professionals, Felix Baumgartner does not start in a slow vehicle, it must be the premier class on the ring, a GT3 vehicle with enough pressure to shoot the Austrian back into space if necessary. In order to use the potential of a GT3 racing car, however, it is not enough to have carried out lifelong stunts. That was easy to see from the lap times of car number 22. Whenever the R8 LMS drove ultra times over 9 minutes (VLN run 3), Felix Baumgartner was at the wheel. When times were back at the level of the other SP9 vehicles, Pierre Kaffer drove the racing car over the Eifel circuit. The fact that two vehicles were already turned into scrap during the preparation, there is no statement about this and there is no place for this in the usual media. Talent is one thing, racing in green hell is something completely different.
Motorsports vs. media Stunt
It is a PR stunt the Audi performs here. The risks? You seem to be calculable, right?
Opinions are controversial and the whole project is hotly discussed in the paddock. On the one hand there is the opinion: Of course, who would not take this opportunity? And certainly, getting into a GT3 as a non-professional requires at least three eggs. But on the other hand is the question of the meaning of motorsport? Is everything possible with money? There are many talents who are denied access to a higher class - due to a lack of sponsors.
It's not the talent that decides - the sponsor decides. But that leads motorsport to a dead end.
When media professionals discover motorsport for themselves, this rarely leads to the benefits of motorsport. And an 24h race does not really need another celebrity with a drive to self-fulfillment. There are already enough men's drivers who have shopped in fast Porsche and then, with a lack of knowledge of the track, even smaller vehicle classes in the way.
You can not dictate to a racing team who it commits. The motorsport history is full of examples of celebrities who have tried racing cars. However, the Nordschleife and especially the 24h race is an event with little room for error. If you're not careful, you'll end up in the guardrail, or behind it.
Bad weather and poor visibility are just as common - it will be exciting to see how much Felix Baumgartner can improve. And what Audi's strategy will look like in the end.
By the way, Felix Baumgartner drives an R8 with advertising for the Audi Driving Experience - and there everyone can be trained to become a racing driver. The necessary small change provided.