2006. Then what?

[JonesF1]

What companies are going to fill the $1 billion sponsorship hole after the tobacco ban? Major companies that couldnt get their foot in the door earlier, token sponsors, or nobody at all?

If token sponsors who wants to bet (4 to 1) Minardi takes both championships in 2008?

[Red]

According to FIA the total tobacco sponsorship (that includes every form of motorsport) is in the $ 350 million range. Let's not forget that some teams (Williams most noticeable) proved that the job can be done without tobacco sponsorship.

Major motor corporations will fill the bill allright. I also suspect hidden advertising. The major tobacco producers will (if they didn't start already) develop collateral business and advertise (with their names of course) some innocent products such as Marlboro clothes (I believe that they already do that), West beverages etc etc. Anyway, the situation is not THAT dramatic, motorsport will not dissapear.

[mac]

You'll be surprised. Everything thought Australian motorsport would die when they banned tobacco sponsorship in this country. But look at it know. You'll be surprised what companies step up. And teams may also have to take lower paying sponsor contracts than those of the tobacco companies.

[racer69]

As much as i don't agree with the ban, major sponsership won't be that hard to find. As mentioned Williams is getting by fine without it. There are plenty of other industries in there to fill the.

Weren't Phillip Morris going to buy sponsership area's on the Ferrari's and then sell them off to other companies for a profit, like what they are doing with Vodafone this year.

[Lee Janotta]

F1's imploding, sponsors aren't going to jump onboard when there are much better values in WRC, LeMans, DTM, BTCC, CART...