FIA president Jean Todt says the governing body cannot ban alcohol advertising in Formula 1, despite repeated calls from Eurocare: The European Alcohol Policy Alliance.
Three teams currently run alcohol branding on their cars – Williams (Martini), Force India (Kingfisher and Smirnoff), and McLaren (Johnnie Walker). Whilst the latter brand is also an official F1 partner and therefore has trackside advertising as well.
Eurocare released a report last week ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix claiming that viewers are exposed to alcohol sponsorship every five seconds during coverage of a race weekend.
“During the 2014 Monaco F1 race, the pinnacle event of F1 there were on average 11 references to alcohol brands per minute,” read the report. “In other words – the worldwide audience of a total 500 million people were exposed to an alcohol brand on average every five seconds for almost two hours.”
The alliance therefore claims that it sends out a confused message about ‘drink driving’ and ‘road safety’, and wants such sponsorship banned.
Todt however says it’s “not possible” for the FIA to ban alcoholic sponsorship as it’s down to each individual country or the European Union to decide.
“The use of advertising for alcohol is not linked to the FIA. It’s linked to each singular country,” he told the International Transport Forum in Leipzig, Germany.
“I’m completely against, and advocating against, drinking and driving, but each country needs to make his own job.
“You cannot ban alcohol, it is not possible, but you can educate people not to drink and drive.
“So we are working very closely on that because we know it is an essential topic to be addressed.”
