Racing Point hires ex-Michael Jordan marketing chief
Racing Point has appointed Jefferson Slack, the former marketing chief for basketball star Michael Jordan and CEO of Inter Milan, as its new commercial managing director.
Slack is the latest big-name appointment at the Formula 1 team ahead of its rebrand as Aston Martin for 2021, when it will be joined by four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel.
Slack has more than 30 years experience across sports marketing and business, having previously served as the chief of Michael Jordan's marketing activities during the 1990s.
The American then moved into football, spending four years as the CEO of Italian football club Inter Milan, and went on to hold senior leadership positions at agencies such as Wasserman and IMG.
Slack's most recent motorsport experience comes via a commercial advisory role to Dorna, the commercial rights holder for MotoGP, but he will now join Racing Point with immediate effect as its new commercial chief.
He will bolster the senior management team at Racing Point, reporting directly to team principal and CEO Otmar Szafnauer.
"With the progress we have made this season on the track and with our upcoming relaunch as Aston Martin F1 Team, we have a unique opportunity to create an iconic new sports property that's at the forefront of Formula 1," said Racing Point team owner Lawrence Stroll.
"We are delighted to appoint Jefferson Slack to help us realise the full global commercial and marketing opportunities that lie ahead."
Slack called Racing Point "one of the most exciting commercial opportunities, not just in Formula 1, but in the whole of the sports industry".
He added: "We are looking to build an iconic new sports brand in Aston Martin F1 Team, and in the process we believe we will create a unique global marketing platform for other brands and partners.
"I am looking forward to working with Lawrence and Otmar, and building a world-class commercial and marketing team."
Racing Point is currently on-course for its most successful season in F1 to date, sitting fourth in the constructors' championship after nine races with one podium finish to its name.
The team will officially be rebranded as Aston Martin F1 Team for the 2021 season following Lawrence Stroll's investment in the British car firm earlier this year.
Related video
Hamilton should join Red Bull alongside Verstappen - Jordan
Williams struggles haven’t put Kubica off idea of racing again
FIA formally outlaws Mercedes slot-gap separator trick
The FIA has now formally banned a front wing trick that Mercedes considered this season before it was advised it could fall foul of Formula 1’s regulations.
Bolukbasi weighing up F2 and Super Formula for 2023
Cem Bolukbasi says he is weighing up offers from both Formula 2 and Super Formula for the 2023 season, after his unexpected call-up to this week’s Suzuka test.
Motorsport.tv guide: What's on 10-11 December weekend?
The final race of the season in Stock Car Brasil will take place at Interlagos this weekend, while the much-anticipated SuperEnduro kicks off the new season in Poland, an event only available to Premium subscribers. An endurance classic, the Gulf 12 Hours, also returns to Motorsport.tv, live and free from Abu Dhabi.
FIA ready to shorten DRS zones in F1 2023
The FIA looks set to reduce the length of some DRS zones in Formula 1 next season, amid concerns that overtaking has become too easy at several venues.
The bold F1 DRS experiment that could end the debate forever
OPINION: The effectiveness of DRS in Formula 1 remains a topic of debate as the winter break gives a chance for reflection on the racing we saw in 2022. For all of its detractors, perhaps an experiment where DRS is cast aside and the impact this has on racing is in order to truly understand its merits in modern F1.
The sliding doors moment that saved Red Bull and Porsche
OPINION: Everything looked set for Red Bull and Porsche to join forces for the 2026 season, before the marriage between both parties was called off. While at the time it looked like a major coup for Formula 1 in gaining both VW Group powerhouses Audi and Porsche for 2026, Red Bull and Porsche have really been spared a potentially fractious relationship.
How Tyrrell’s post-Stewart era descended into a fight to survive
Glory days for Tyrrell became increasingly infrequent after Jackie Stewart’s retirement. But in the latest instalment of his history of the team for Autosport's sister title GP Racing, MAURICE HAMILTON recalls how Ken Tyrrell’s plucky and defiantly small team stayed bold enough to innovate – springing a surprise with F1’s first six-wheeled car
How departing F1 boss Brawn views F1’s new rules - and the future
Multiple-title-winning designer and team boss Ross Brawn is finally leaving Formula 1 after nearly 50 years in motorsport. But he still has plenty of insights on what’s working and what comes next, as he revealed to Motorsport.com in a far-reaching exclusive interview in Abu Dhabi.
The key F1 management call Ferrari must make to avoid more defeat
OPINION: Mattia Binotto’s departure from Ferrari will naturally bring a range of changes across the Formula 1 team. But how the changes shape up and the impact they could have is set to be dictated by a key direction Ferrari’s top dogs will need to pick
The difference between Mercedes’ stumble and the fall of F1 giants
OPINION: Mercedes endured its worst season of the hybrid Formula 1 era, but was mercifully spared its first winless campaign in over a decade late on. It has owned up to the mistakes it made which led to its troubled W13. And while its task to return to title-challenging contention is not small, its 2022 season seems more like a blip than the beginning of a downward spiral.
The physical focus bringing out the best from Esteban Ocon
Esteban Ocon likes to point out he’s the first driver since Lewis Hamilton to emerge from a spell as Fernando Alonso’s teammate with a superior overall points record. While some may disagree, as LUKE SMITH discovered, the 2021 Hungarian GP winner reckons it’s not just luck which has made him France’s pre-eminent Formula 1 driver of the moment…
How Red Bull's dynamic leader Mateschitz shaped its F1 philosophy
The death of Dietrich Mateschitz last month has not only deprived Red Bull of its visionary founder, it has shorn Formula 1 of one of its most influential benefactors. Mateschitz himself was famously media-shy, preferring to let the brand do the talking on his behalf. And, while it’s now normal to speak of Red Bull F1 titles and champions made, Mateschitz never assumed it would be easy or even possible – as ANTHONY ROWLINSON discovered during this previously unpublished interview from 2006…