CAA Sports goes green with motorsport tie-up

14 January 2011 | Posted in Agencies, Motorsport, North America, Europe | By David Cushnan

CAA Sports has added another string to its bow after agreeing to work with the EV Cup, the world’s first motorsport series to exclusively feature zero-emission electric vehicles. The agency will give the series organisers access to CAA Sports ‘global resources and expertise, to create innovative opportunities for the circuit across a wide array of areas, including corporate partnerships, business development, brand marketing, event management, and media advisory, among others.’

The seven race series will include two classes of zero emission cars – one will be for race-prepared ‘city focused, production vehicles’ while the other will be a professional class featuring a bespoke racing car called the iRacer developed by Westfield Sportscars. A prototype division, with a time-trial format, is also planned. Events will be held in the UK, Portugal, Spain and the USA.

“The EV Cup is a groundbreaking concept that creates unique marketing and sponsorship opportunities for major brand advertisers,” said CAA Sports’ chief Peter Kenyon, the former Manchester United and Chelsea executive. “We look forward to using our resources across the globe in sports and entertainment to help build the EV Cup into a premier racing series and valuable advertising platform."

The news provides a huge potential boost to series organisers as it makes final preparations for its inaugural season. “We believe that the commercial world will take notice, when they begin to recognise a new opportunity to partner with a new and exciting sporting event like the EV Cup and add significantly to their sustainability credentials,” said Sylvain Filippi, director of the EV Cup. “We are creating an opportunity for the EV manufacturers and suppliers to promote their technologies in a new and exciting way. Green motorsport is a reality.”