Alonso named "most marketable F1 driver"
Fernando Alonso has been named the "most marketable driver" in Formula One by a poll carried out by German sports marketing company Repucom.
The McLaren driver was on top of the charts in 2014 and has finished first again ahead of the start of the 2015 season, from which he will be absent.
According to the poll, Alonso's marketability has increased, with a DBI index of 89.66.
The Celebrity DBI is an independent index that quantifies and qualifies consumer perceptions of celebrities.
The study says 98% of the people in Spain know Alonso.
Alonso is followed in the ranking by his former Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa (88.84) and four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel (85.49).
Reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton is fourth with a DBI index of 83.68. McLaren driver Jenson Button completes the top five.
"There have been big changes in terms of team personnel during the F1 season break and whilst there are some shifts in the top 10 most marketable rankings, it is important to see how brands are reacting to 2015's new grid line-up," said Repucom's Nigel Geach.
"We are seeing a heightened level of consumer brands becoming involved in F1 in 2015, some which are changing allegiances. Ultimately it is them who will benefit most from the marketability of drivers.
"New consumer focussed partnerships include CNN's sponsorship of McLaren Honda, Hugo Boss's deal with Mercedes AMG and Williams Martini partnerships with Hackett, Unilever and Rexona.
"Consumer brands will gravitate naturally to where the leading drivers are and with the dominance of Alonso's profile off the track, a strong first season at McLaren could well see him pull even further from the pack.
"However, this season, the one to watch is Lewis Hamilton. With a host of personal endorsements to his name already and being a part of a team everyone was chasing last year, Hamilton has an opportunity to grow his reputation internationally as potentially one of F1's finest.
"He has a high profile domestically brands will be watching the performance of this driver in 2015 very closely."
The full report can be found here.
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