Why do tech and defense companies like IBM and GM Defense seek out motorsport partnerships, and what do they actually get out of them? It’s more than a logo.

Two companies that partner with racing and one league executive who builds those deals talk with Elevation’s Kevin Baron about what makes a motorsport partnership worth it: the technology, the customers, the audiences and the competitive edge.

• Jonathan Adashek, Senior Vice President and Chief Global Affairs Officer, IBM

• Matt Boyer, Chief Marketing Officer and Growth Operator, GM Defense

• Lee Zohlman, Americas Director, Formula E

Adashek explains why IBM uses its Ferrari and VCARB partnerships to show its technology working, from fan apps reaching 400 million tifosi to streaming real-time data from track to team. Boyer explains how a NASCAR roll cage ended up on the Army’s infantry squad vehicle, why a Cadillac F1 car appeared at the Army’s biggest convention, and why the Daytona 500 is a test bed for military logistics and power. Zohlman offers the view from inside the league. He’s the person on the other side of the table deciding which companies come in. He explains why Formula E treats deals as business partnerships rather than sponsorships, why it has turned down eight-figure offers that didn’t fit its values, and how the series is expanding in the U.S. with races in Miami and at COTA.

Recorded at Elevation Live: Austin during F1 United States Grand Prix week.

🔗 Elevation: www.elevation-live.com

🔗 IBM: https://www.ibm.com/sports/ferrari

🔗 GM Defense: https://www.gmdefensellc.com/home.html

🔗 Formula E: https://www.fiaformulae.com/en