Daniel Ricciardo, an Australian driver for McLaren, met with Asian Trade at the Token2049 conference in Singapore to talk about his recent work in cryptocurrency before the 2022 Singapore Grand Prix.
Together with OKX CMO Haider Rafique, they looked into the partnership between McLaren Racing and the crypto exchange and talked about some fun ways the two brands could market themselves.
In a new OKX ad that came out earlier this year, Ricciardo was shown standing next to the McLaren MCL36 F1 racing car while his “spirit animal,” a honey badger, sat in the car’s cockpit. The tongue-in-cheek ad shows how little people know about the cryptocurrency world, which is still looking for ways to get more people to use it.
Ricciardo said that he first looked into the world of cryptocurrencies in 2021. He told Asian trade that his friends were the ones who first got him interested.
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“Last year was the first time I got involved. I got my OKX wallet because I was really interested. A lot of my friends were into it, so I got involved because of my relationship with the team. I’m still learning every day,” he said.
Formula 1 drivers are known for pushing the limits in many areas of their lives, and Ricciardo made a joke about how quickly he got into crypto. The 33-year-old man said he was trying to learn more about the space and saw the value in the fact that cryptocurrency markets offer diversification.
“I was getting so involved that a few people on my team said, ‘Okay, you’re spending a bit too much time here.'” It’s great, and I’m interested in how the space is changing and trying to learn more about it.
OKX, on the other hand, has tried out some creative marketing ideas through its multi-year partnership with McLaren. It has announced that it will take over the car’s livery for the next two F1 races. At the Singapore and Japan Grand Prix races, OKX’s bright orange logo is front and centre. Ricciardo thinks this will get more fans interested in cryptocurrencies.
Ricciardo said that the new look in Singapore and Japan is meant to “engage the fans” and get them on board.
“OKX is on the cutting edge, just like Formula 1, trying to come up with new ideas and think ahead. It’s cool, and I think this is the first time a livery takeover has been done like this,” he said.
Gareth Jenkinson of Asian Trade was at Token2049 in Singapore with F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo and OKX CMO Haider Rafique.
Rafique pointed out similarities between the cryptocurrency industry and Formula 1. He said that the “speed of innovation” in the sport is similar to how quickly the blockchain and cryptocurrency ecosystem has continued to grow:
“In the end, we’re all having fun because we’re all making things together. Just for this livery, the two design teams worked very closely together. We’re so glad we got to work with the McLaren F1 Team and Daniel, and now we have this amazing design that we can’t wait for everyone to see.
For the first time since 2019, Formula 1 is back at the Singapore Street Circuit. Getting ready for the race happened at the same time as the Token2049 conference. The street circuit was slowly put together until September 29, when all roads were closed for the race.
Ricciardo had done well on the track before COVID-19, and he hopes to repeat his previous podium finishes in the city:
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“It’s good to be back. The last time was in 2019, and I’ve always loved street circuits. Before it’s all set up, you’re on the track trying to figure it all out because it looks different when it’s not all put together. I’m glad to be back. I’ve won some medals here before, so let’s just say I’m coming in hot.
Formula 1 keeps getting deals for marketing and advertising with the biggest cryptocurrency companies. OKX became the main partner of McLaren in May 2022, making it the latest cryptocurrency exchange and trading platform to sign a deal with a major team.
