Formula 1 Commercial Director Sean Bratches claims the sport’s bosses didn’t expect to escape “unscathed” after receiving mostly negative criticism of the new logo which was unveiled after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Fans have disapproved of the new bold design which Bratches said was done to bring the logo into the digital age and drivers too admitted a preference for the previous mark which had been around since 1994.
A further overhaul of the sport’s commercial image is coming for next season and, defending the change, the former ESPN executive insists it was not done without good reason.
“These are difficult changes – as it is any time you change a corporate mark and particularly one around a passion brand,” Bratches told Motorsport.com. “The incumbent mark has been around for decades and it served the sport well. But we have not gone into this light-heartedly, and we have given it a lot of thought.
“It seemed from my perspective and from the moment [CEO] Chase [Carey] called me, it was one of the things I really wanted to look at. From my eye, it [the old logo] seemed to be dated, it seemed to not reflect where the sport could go.”
The Commerical boss is more willing to take the current criticism on the chin, so to speak, and actually believes the reaction is a positive thing for F1.
“People have an opinion and it is good people have an opinion because they care,” he said. “As the caretakers of this sport and brand, we feel very strongly about it.”
“Ultimately, we will demonstrate to the marketplace that this brand will survive and thrive. We understand in any logo change, whether it is a small modification or wholesale, people are going to have a varied opinion.
“And that is good for the sport. Everybody has got an opinion in F1. I didn’t think we would sneak away unscathed on that one.”
