With more than two decades of experience in UK motorsport, Max is known for combining pace with personality. He’s a regular presence around the BTCC paddock, a driver fans recognise and sponsors trust.
Career Stats (to date):
Races Started: 210
Pole Positions: 19
Wins: 27
Podiums: 73
Fastest Laps: 18
Max isn’t just a name on a timing sheet – he’s built a personal brand, a loyal fanbase and a sponsorship portfolio that has kept him racing at a high level.
According to Max, three traits come up again and again in successful long-term deals:
Honesty and transparency – Sponsors need to know what’s really happening, not a polished version. Clear communication builds trust.
Business understanding – You’re not “just a driver”. You’re a marketing partner. You need to understand your own value and how it links to their commercial goals.
Likeability – People buy people. If they don’t like you, the deal usually never gets off the ground.
“If a sponsor doesn’t like you, they won’t do it. That’s been key in all of my partnerships.”
Max highlights two main hurdles for modern drivers:
Lack of awareness
Many businesses don’t understand what motorsport sponsorship can offer as a marketing platform. They haven’t been to a circuit, they don’t know how many people are watching online or trackside, and they don’t see how it could benefit their brand.
Environmental concerns
Sustainability is a real consideration for modern brands. Some are hesitant to associate with motorsport. Max’s answer has been to partner with organisations like Carbon Positive Motorsport to measure and offset his racing emissions, showing sponsors that he takes the issue seriously and is actively mitigating his impact.
Forget cold-emailing hundreds of random companies. For Max, the best sponsorship leads come from real-world motorsport environments:
Networking at race tracks – People already at circuits understand the sport and are more open to the idea of sponsorship.
Introductions and referrals – Existing partners, friends and local contacts often know businesses that might be a good fit.
“Mainly through meeting people at and around race tracks. People who are there have an understanding of what you’re trying to do.”
It’s less about mass outreach, more about building the right relationships in the right places.
Not every sponsor just hands over cash. Max points out three main types of support:
Financial backing – The obvious one, helping fund entries, tyres, testing and travel.
Products or services – Parts, tools, fluids, logistics or services that reduce your running costs.
Business introductions – Access to their customer base and supply chain, which can lead to more sponsors or commercial opportunities.
Often the relationships that last longest are those where both sides see more than just a logo on a car.
Max’s biggest message is to stop thinking about sponsorship as “someone funding your dream” and start thinking about it as a business partnership.
Focus on relationships, not just money.
Understand what the sponsor actually wants:
Brand visibility?
Hospitality for clients?
Internal staff engagement?
Social media content?
Tailor your offer to those needs.
“Be professional, be approachable, and above all, be reliable. Sponsors invest in people as much as they invest in performance.”
Max draws inspiration from some of motorsport’s most inventive commercial thinkers:
Brian Sims – Known for turning everyday products, like SodaStream, into powerful sponsorship tools.
Guy Edwards and K-Mart – A famous example where the sponsor’s suppliers effectively funded the deal, showing how creative structuring can unlock big budgets.
The lesson for 2026? Think beyond the sticker on the car. There are often multiple stakeholders you can bring into a programme.
In Max’s view, the most common mistake is offering a generic sponsorship package that isn’t built around the sponsor’s actual needs.
“It’s like selling a custom 8m x 4m motorsport tent when all the customer wants is a standard 3 x 3.”
Common errors include:
Sending the same deck to every business
Talking mainly about your lap times, not their objectives
Overpromising on things you can’t realistically deliver
Good sponsorship proposals are specific, honest and tailored.
Social media matters, but Max is clear: its importance varies by sponsor.
Some companies, like Primex Plastics, are mainly on LinkedIn.
Others want Instagram, Facebook, TikTok or YouTube content.
Some care more about B2B networking and hospitality than follower numbers.
What does matter is that your online presence matches the image you’re selling in your proposal.
Case Study: Gala Performance Campaign
Max worked with Gala Performance on a playful social media campaign where he wore as many coats as possible – leaning into the “Coates” pun. The result? A 37% increase in website traffic during the promotion period, showing that creative, on-brand content still moves the needle when it’s done with a clear objective.
The biggest blocker Max sees is simple:
“Getting in front of the right person who makes a decision.”
Decision-makers are often busy, hard to reach and heavily targeted by other marketing requests. That’s why warm introductions and networking at the circuit are still the most powerful tools a driver has.
Max’s first major sponsorship away from family support came through a local connection.
A friend in his village suggested he become a Yorkshire Patron for Welcome to Yorkshire. That introduction led to a meeting, and Max pitched a clear proposal:
he would promote Yorkshire as a destination as he travelled the country racing, putting the region in front of new audiences.
They bought into the idea – and that deal became the blueprint for how Max approaches motorsport sponsorship: clear value, a focused story and a genuine fit between driver and brand.
This interview originally appeared in Issue One of Gala Performance Quarterly (GPQ) – our free magazine for:
Racing drivers
Team owners
Paddock professionals
Motorsport sponsors and partners
If you want more content like this – including guides on building your racing brand, attracting sponsors, improving your paddock presence and choosing the right race awning – GPQ is a solid next step.
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