Hugo Boss ditches Formula 1 sponsorship in favour of Formula E

The German fashion brand has been a long-time supporter of the sport through sponsorship deals with McLaren and Mercedes, but they have announced their intention to move out of F1 altogether

Clothing giant Hugo Boss will be abandoning a decades-long affiliation with Formula 1 in order to pursue sponsorship with Formula E, according to their Chief Executive, Mark Langer.

Formula E was established in 2012 and is different to F1 in a number of ways; the environmentally-friendly nature of the eletric cars is attractive to brand concerned about sustainability, but also the tracks are temporarily created within major cities, which makes for a much more unique viewing experience for the fans.

One of the more innovative ways the sport attempts to reach out to fans is the creation of social media fan polls which asks the user to name their favourite driver. These polls take place in the two weeks prior to the race and the opening six minutes, and the winner will receive 100KJ of extra energy which can give the car a boost at the desired time round the circuit.

It is this kind of modernisation of autosport that has enticed Hugo Boss sponsorship away from F1.

"Of course Formula 1 is the top class of motor racing, but Formula E is more innovative and sustainable," Langer told German magazine, Focus.

"The engines, the races in major cities, that's something a younger audience likes, which offers new opportunities."

There have been suggestions that the fashion juggernaut is moving over to FE for financial reasons, as sponsorship would be cheaper than F1, but the Langer has assured fans of the sport that Hugo Boss have been searching for their next project ever since they got involved in F1.

"After many years in Formula 1, ever since Jochen Mass in the 1970s, we have been thinking 'what is the next thing?'"