How Geox aims to emulate F1 success in Formula E
Dragon Racing’s new title sponsor Geox has joined Formula E in a bid to replicate the title-winning association it had with Red Bull in Formula 1.
Italian footwear manufacturer Geox – which specialises in ‘breathable’ and lightweight sole systems – joined Red Bull’s roster of partners in 2011 during its period of F1 domination with Sebastian Vettel.
Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing RB8 passes Charles Pic, Marussia F1 Team MR01
Photo by: Sutton Images
The Formula E team will be called Geox Dragon Racing in a deal that stretches to 2021. And despite heavyweight opposition from manufacturer teams including Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Nissan, Mahindra and DS, it aims to be successful from the start.
“If you invest, you do it to win,” says Geox President and company founder Mario Moretti Polegato. “In the first year, we will have to understand some things, but the goal must be to win.
“With Red Bull and Vettel we gained a lot of experience, the driver is an athlete and he generates heat, but he’s not the only one, even the car does. So we looked for solutions that helped to control the temperatures.
“Thanks to F1, transpiration holes in the lower surface became bigger. So, this ‘transition’ will go on thanks to a technical team that will attend races to improve the technologies and will take them to the [footwear] industry.”
Maximilian Günther and Antonio Fuoco with Mario Moretti Polegato, President and Founder of GEOX
Photo by: Dragon Racing
In terms of the factory giants that Dragon will be facing, Polegato likens his company’s size and global reach to that of Ferrari – another figurehead for Italian-based manufacturing.
“I can’t compare myself to these companies, that have different measures,” he added. “But we are a worldwide company that works in 115 countries and that will take the Italian flag all over the world.
“On one hand, there’s Ferrari, on the other hand, there’s us. We will have racing, our trademark, in a single way.”
Jose Maria Lopez, Dragon Racing
Photo by: Malcolm Griffiths / Motorsport Images
Jose Maria Lopez, GEOX Dragon Racing, Penske EV-3
Photo by: Alastair Staley / Motorsport Images
Jose Maria Lopez, GEOX Dragon Racing, Penske EV-3
Photo by: Dom Romney / Motorsport Images
Jose Maria Lopez, GEOX Dragon Racing, Penske EV-3, Antonio Felix da Costa, BMW I Andretti Motorsports, BMW iFE.18
Photo by: Andrew Ferraro / Motorsport Images
Maximilian Günther, Dragon Racing, Penske EV-3 with the new hyper boost LED lights on the halo
Photo by: Alastair Staley / Motorsport Images
Maximilian Günther, Dragon Racing, Penske EV-3
Photo by: Alastair Staley / Motorsport Images
Previous article
Porsche close to naming first Formula E signing for 2019/20
Next article
F1-bound Seidl was set to be Porsche motorsport boss
About this article
| Series | Formula E |
| Drivers | Jose Maria Lopez , Maximilian Gunther |
| Teams | Dragon Racing |
Why the new Formula E season got off to such a controversial start
With the new Formula E season belatedly getting underway in Saudi Arabia, the championship appeared to try to make up for lost time with an overspill of action and controversy on and off the track. While some talking points could have serious repercussions, it was an explosive opener for many reasons.
The eight major plotlines to watch in Formula E 2021
The delayed 2020-21 Formula E season gets underway this week with a double-header in Saudi Arabia. The testing times were too close to call a favourite, but that's not the only area of interest to follow as the championship enters a crucial year
Why Formula E's 2021 season will be a crucial litmus test
As off-track politics threatens to overshadow events on it, the upcoming Formula E season is perhaps its most important since the championship's inception. And that's a shame, given that the focus should be on what promises to be its closest title fight yet.
How Mercedes and Porsche can avoid a difficult second FE album
Mercedes and Porsche compete to win and have done so across the board: in Formula 1, sportscars, the Dakar Rally and endurance road races - even working together to break land speed records. Next in the crosshairs is the Formula E teams' championship crown.
What Formula E must do for McLaren to act on its attraction
News that McLaren is formally considering a Formula E move is a much-needed boost for a series that took some punches at the end of 2020. But to allay any doubts that Zak Brown may have, FE must take action on its biggest potential stumbling block
Why BMW and Audi have pulled the plug on Formula E
BMW and Audi shocked the Formula E fraternity by announcing their departures at the end of the 2020-21 season. Overnight, the championship has been dealt something of a "wake-up call" - including questions about its relevance to manufacturers.
What we learned from Formula E's Valencia test
There was no shortage of intrigue surrounding Formula E's pre-season test at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, dominated by talk of Audi's impending exit. But it still served to whet appetites for the start of another competitive season in January
The logic behind Audi’s surprise change of course
OPINION: Audi announcing its imminent Formula E departure on the eve of its first season with world championship status might come as something of a shock. But while it doesn't equate to a rejection of VW's electrification push, there is reason to it...
