Being fast on the track is just the beginning of the work. Once the helmet is off, there’s the communication and PR work, perhaps more demanding than that at the wheel. Off the track, communication, reputation, and commercial relationships are managed. (fm)
Social media haven’t transformed just the track, social media have transformed the world we live in: born almost as a whim, communication has taken on an increasingly important role until it has become an essential component without which it becomes almost impossible for the driver to line up at the start on the stages of the races that matter, but how can you launch a social channel and a public image without overdoing it and at the same time not going unnoticed?
It’s normal, when hearing about a driver, to go look for him on social media or try to find news about him. It’s here that a well-done communication job comes into play. What does the driver want to say about himself if he uses social media and in what way is he making himself known even off the track?
What do you at DAG think about the communication around the driver?
From our point of view, the communication of a young driver should not be seen as something separate from the track, but as a natural extension of what happens on the track.
In DAG Management we believe that sporting performance remains the priority: that’s where credibility is born. However, today it’s no longer enough to just be fast—you also need to know how to tell that journey in an authentic and coherent way.
The key point is not “making lots of content,” but building an identity. Every driver has a different story: some are more instinctive, some more analytical, some more charismatic. Our job is to help each of them communicate naturally, without forcing, avoiding both excess—which risks becoming not credible—and total absence, which makes them invisible.
Communication must convey four fundamental elements:
- Professionalism, because sponsors and teams look for reliability
- Personality, because the public connects with people, not just results
- Journey, because the value of a driver also lies in their growth over time
- Emotion and story, because it’s precisely through difficulties, victories, sacrifices, and behind-the-scenes moments that a real bond is created with those who follow the driver.
It’s not just about showing what happens, but making it live. Telling a race is not just posting the result, but sharing what happened before, during, and after: the tension, the disappointment, the determination to start again. It’s this that turns content into a story. That’s why we work a lot on balance: simple but curated content, race moments but also behind the scenes, results but also difficulties. It’s precisely in challenges that a strong and credible narrative is built. In a world where everyone can post, the difference is made by those who manage to communicate with coherence, vision, and authenticity. Our goal is to ensure that when a driver is searched online, they convey exactly what they are: a serious athlete, evolving, but also a person with a story capable of exciting. Because today a driver is not just a driver: they are also a brand. And like every brand, they must be built with strategy, authenticity, and continuity.
Telling one’s own story through social media is now an essential part of an athlete’s activity that cannot be overlooked
We live in an era that many define as social: some criticize the excessive use of these systems, but in fact, we all use them and in the end, they’re all there. What role do social media play in your opinion in the development of a driver’s career?
Social media today are no longer an “extra,” but a strategic tool in the development of a driver’s career. They don’t replace the track—which remains the heart of everything—but they amplify what happens on the track and make it visible to the world.
In DAG Management we consider them an accelerator of opportunities. A driver who communicates well increases their visibility, becomes more interesting to sponsors, teams, and partners, and manages to build an ecosystem around themselves that goes beyond the result of a single race.
But attention: it’s not about “being there a lot,” it’s about being there in the right way. Social media work when they tell something true. If they become forced or built just to appear, they lose value.
Their main role is threefold:
- Visibility, because they allow a driver to become known even outside the paddock
- Connection, because they create a direct relationship with fans, sponsors, and insiders
- Narration, because they enable telling the journey, not just the result
And it’s precisely here that they make the difference: social media allow giving continuity to the driver’s story. A race lasts a weekend, but a career is built every day.
For us, the goal is not to turn drivers into influencers, but into recognizable athletes, with a clear identity and coherent communication. When this happens, social media become a powerful ally: they not only tell the present, but contribute to building the driver’s future.
Staying in the social media realm: do you prefer more spontaneous or structured and strategic communication? What content really works today to attract audience and sponsors?
The truth is that today it no longer works to choose between spontaneity and strategy: both are needed. In DAG Management we work precisely on this balance. Communication that’s only spontaneous risks being incoherent, while communication that’s too built loses authenticity. The point is to have a solid structure behind it, which however leaves room for the driver’s naturalness. We always start from a clear strategy—identity, goals, positioning—and then translate it into content that seems spontaneous, true, not forced. The public today immediately recognizes what’s authentic and what isn’t. As for content, those that really work today are those that manage to combine three elements:
Access: showing what is normally not seen
→ behind the scenes, preparation, briefings, life in the paddock
Emotion: making the moment live
→ tension before the race, hot reactions, disappointments and satisfactions
Value: giving a reason to follow that driver
→ mindset, daily work, growth, technical details told in a simple way
Results alone are no longer enough. A P1 without a story is worth less than a well-explained and shared comeback.
For sponsors, on the other hand, it’s fundamental to see coherence and continuity: a driver who communicates well conveys reliability, knows how to represent a brand, and creates a real bond with the public.
In summary: strategy is what guides, spontaneity is what connects. When the two work together, communication becomes truly effective.
Is there a moment in the journey when a driver can become a brand themselves? Looking at the current scenario, today is a driver more of an athlete or a brand? Do you see this already from the preparatory categories?
Today there is no longer a precise moment when a driver “becomes” a brand: in reality, they are one from the beginning.
In DAG Management we clearly see how this process begins already in the preparatory categories. Even in the early years of their career, a driver communicates—whether they want to or not—through their attitude, their content, the way they present themselves on and off the track.
The difference is that at the beginning the brand is still “raw,” in the construction phase. Over time, and with the right work, it becomes more defined, coherent, and recognizable. There’s also a fundamental aspect for us: every driver is, first and foremost, an ambassador of their own Country.
Our drivers represent different cultures, identities, and stories, and this adds enormous value to their journey. They bring to the track not only themselves, but also their background, becoming reference points for those who follow them from home.
To the question of whether today a driver is more athlete or brand, the answer is: they must be both.
Performance remains the indispensable base—without results there’s no credibility—but the brand is what allows valuing that performance in the long term.
Already in the youth categories, important differences are seen:
fast drivers but invisible off the track
drivers who, beyond speed, start building a presence, a story, an identity
Those who manage to unite these two aspects start with a huge advantage.
The point, however, is not to force the timing: a young driver doesn’t have to become a “character,” but start building their image naturally, step by step.
For us, the ideal work is to accompany this growth in parallel:
first the athlete is built, then the brand is developed, but today the two things travel together from the first day.
Sometimes drivers are invited to take part in television or communication experiences where it’s crucial to connect with their target audience, which initially often consists of their fellow citizens in a global arena like motorsport
It therefore seems fundamental to stand out from the crowd: how do you build a distinctive positioning in a competitive environment like motorsport? How important is it to differentiate from other drivers, even off the track?
In a competitive environment like motorsport, standing out is no longer an advantage: it’s a necessity.
We start from a simple concept: there are no two identical drivers. The problem is that often they all communicate in the same way. Distinctive positioning is born precisely here—in finding and valuing what makes each driver unique.
Today in 99% of cases we see drivers on the track: sitting in the kart or with the helmet on while preparing for the race. But that’s only part of the story.
We want to go beyond.
We want to understand who’s behind the helmet:
what character they have, what personality, what face.
What they convey, what values they represent, what interests they have outside motorsport.
And above all: can we identify with them?
It’s precisely here that the difference is born.
To build distinctive positioning, we work on three fundamental pillars:
- Authenticity:You can’t build an identity by copying others. Every driver must be coherent with themselves, in the way they express themselves, tell their story, and present themselves. Authenticity is what makes communication credible in the long term.
- Emotions: people don’t just remember results, but how you made them feel. Telling races, difficulties, key moments with emotion creates connection and makes the driver recognizable. It’s this that turns content into something memorable.
- Values: discipline, respect, sacrifice, mindset: these are the elements that build reputation. Communicating one’s values means giving depth to one’s image and creating a solid identity that goes beyond performance.
Differentiating off the track is today as important as doing it on the track. Because while performance can be similar among many drivers, perception changes completely based on how one positions themselves. It’s not about being “different at all costs,” but being recognizable. When a driver manages to convey authenticity, emotions, and values coherently, they build a clear identity. And the moment this identity is clear, it also becomes easier for teams, sponsors, and the public to understand who they are and why to follow them.
In summary, true positioning is born when a driver doesn’t try to seem like someone else, but becomes the clearest and most communicated version possible of themselves.
Every driver has their own growth times and the story might not be made only of photos of trophies and awards: how do you help drivers generate value even when sporting results are not yet at a high level?
Every driver has their own journey and their own growth times, and precisely for this reason communication cannot be based only on results, trophies, and podiums.
In DAG Management we work to build value even (and especially) when results are not yet at the top. Because it’s exactly there that true connection is created.
It’s precisely this that interests fans, sponsors, and the public: what happens when things don’t go as planned? How does the driver react? Do they get back up? How do they face pressure, disappointment, difficulties? These are the situations that really tell who an athlete is.
We help drivers communicate:
- the reaction after a difficult moment
- real emotions, even the more complex ones
- the mindset to want to start again
- the daily work to improve
Because, in the end, it’s like in real life: things never go smoothly. There are ups and downs. And when these are told authentically, the public can identify. If instead only victory is communicated, distance is created. The driver becomes “unreachable,” less human, less credible. And this also applies to sponsors: today they look for real figures, not perfect ones. Credibility is born precisely from the transparency of the journey. For us, therefore, generating value means transforming every phase—positive or negative—into part of the story. Because a career is not made only of trophies, but of growth. And growth, if told well, has enormous value.
When is the right moment to rely on a management agency and how does a driver’s communication evolve as they grow in category?
There is no “perfect” moment that’s the same for everyone, but there is a clear principle: the sooner you start building correctly, the better.
We believe that management shouldn’t arrive only when the driver is already established, but when there’s a need to give direction. Even in the initial phases, having guidance means avoiding mistakes, building solid foundations, and starting to work with vision.
Relying on an agency becomes fundamental when the driver (and their family) understands that the career is not just driving, but also managing:
- image
- communication
- relationships
- opportunities
As for communication, it evolves together with the driver. At the beginning it’s simpler and more spontaneous: the first experiences, passion, small progresses are told. The goal is to start building a presence and an identity. With category growth, everything becomes more structured:
communication must be more coherent, more strategic, more professional. Attention increases to details, sponsors, positioning, and content quality. When the level rises further, communication becomes an integral part of the career: it’s no longer just about telling, but representing. The driver becomes a reference point, an ambassador, a figure who must convey values, credibility, and vision. Throughout this journey, our role is to accompany the driver without altering them: growing the athlete, but also the person and the brand, always maintaining authenticity, emotion, and coherence. Because a well-built career is not just a sequence of results, but a project developed over time, on and off the track.
A Professional Racing Driver must be able to manage relationships and public presence in events organised by sponsors and promoters
What is, in your opinion, the biggest mistake a young driver should avoid in managing their image?
The biggest mistake a young driver should avoid is becoming anonymous. We often see identical profiles: same photos, same content, same way of communicating. The result is that, even with talent on the track, the driver risks not standing out and therefore not being remembered.
Not differentiating is one of the main mistakes. In an environment where the level is very high, being just “one of many” limits opportunities a lot. Today it’s not enough to be fast, you need to be recognizable. Another mistake is trying to seem like something you’re not, especially when very young. A 10, 12, or 14-year-old driver shouldn’t communicate like a Formula 1 driver. On the contrary, it’s exactly the opposite: they must have a profile coherent with their age, their growth phase, their personality.
Forcing a too-built or “adult professional” image risks coming across as not authentic and creating distance.
The public and sponsors today look for:
- truth
- freshness
- spontaneity
A young driver must be able to show the human, light, daily side as well. It’s this that creates connection and makes the profile interesting. In summary, the biggest mistake is trying to imitate instead of building. Better a simple but authentic identity, than a perfect but empty image. Because in the end, what really makes the difference is being yourself… in a clear and recognizable way.
As always, we close with a summary question: if you had to give just one piece of advice to a young driver who wants to build their image, what would it be?
If we had to give just one piece of advice, it would be this: be authentic and think long-term.
We believe everything starts from here. Don’t try to seem like someone else, don’t chase existing models, don’t build a “perfect” image. Build something true.
Be proud to be unique. It’s precisely what makes you different from others that gives you value. Have fun telling your story.
It shouldn’t be a burden or something forced: it should be natural, something that truly represents you.
Laugh, joke, and make us emotional.
People connect with those who are real, not those who are perfect.
Don’t force the timing.
Every phase has its moment, both on the track and in communication. Growing too fast, especially off the track, risks creating an not authentic image.
Tell your journey for what it is:
the difficulties, improvements, emotions, beautiful moments and complicated ones. It’s this that creates connection, credibility, and value over time.
At the same time, have patience. A strong image isn’t built in a race weekend, but in months and years of coherence. Every content, every behavior, every detail contributes to defining who you are. If you’re authentic, if you convey true emotions, and if you remain coherent over time, the public will recognize themselves in you, sponsors will understand you, and opportunities will come.
