"Sponsored? Are you a sponsored paid driver for the F1 team?"

Lu Ningping had known that Zhang Yifei had entered the F1 convoy, after all, this news was almost spread throughout China.

The main reason is that Zhang Yifei has not yet achieved F1, otherwise his influence will reach the level of Liu Xiang in the future.

However, in the publicity of various media, no matter how sponsorship payment is mentioned, Lu Ningping has always thought that Zhang Yifei is a non-paid contract driver, so he was a little surprised.

After all, there is still a chain of contempt in the f1 paddock, and contract drivers must sponsor paid drivers at a higher level.

"I'm not sponsoring paid drivers, but you also know that Ah Hu and the others have passed. With the previous Toyota Youth Training Base Junko Takeda and Ukyo Yamamoto, it's not that easy for them to enter the F1 team."

"So I reached an agreement with Prost team, with a sponsorship fee of $2 million, which would allow all members of my team to enter the F1 team."

Two million US dollars?

When he heard this number, Lu Ningping's expression became serious. As a Chinese driver and the top Asian rally driver, he was the kind of person who had seen the world.

Knowing that the two million US dollars sponsorship fee is at most an entry-level fee for the F1 team.

But this money is undoubtedly a sky-high price for the current domestic market!

There is no Formula project in China, at most it is some karting, so there is no accurate sponsorship fee to compare.

But if the scope is expanded, such as the most popular Hong Kong-Beijing Rally, Subaru and 555 cigarettes sponsorship fees, if the racing itself is not included, the sponsorship fees alone are only a few hundred thousand, which is less than one million.

Zhang Yifei's current two million US dollars is simply calculated at an exchange rate of 8 to 1. This is also 16 million RMB. It is not an easy number for some companies and wealthy people at this stage.

"This price is not a small amount in the country, so you may have to talk about it carefully."

Just as Lu Ningping was thinking about which wealthy people were suitable for enterprises, Zhang Yifei said again "increasing the investment".

"Uncle Lu, it may be more than two million US dollars. At least I need a sponsorship of no less than one hundred thousand US dollars in a short period of time. Of course, whether it is advertising or endorsement, I will give him the best price."

The "debt collection" of Renault event organization made Zhang Yifei feel a sense of economic pressure, so he needs to get the money in a short time.

After deducting today, there are only two days left. Even if this time is negotiated, there may not be enough time to create an advertisement or endorsement, so the other party is likely to have to pay first.

Since it is the first payment, it is purely to monetize Zhang Yifei's current popularity and reputation. Since the other party is willing to believe and help him, then Zhang Yifei can also repay his favor and give the best price.

"How much is the short term?"

Lu Ningping asked, he needed a more accurate time point.

"Except today, there are two days left."

"Only two days?"

Lu Ningping didn't expect Zhang Yifei to be so anxious. Could it be that he owed foreign debts?

"Uncle Lu can't get two million US dollars, but he still has one hundred thousand US dollars. If you are in a hurry to use the money, get it from me first."

Hearing this, Zhang Yifei shook his head and replied, "Uncle Lu, I am also an F1 driver at least. I still have to take your old capital for 100,000 US dollars. This is a bit too much."

"This is how it works. Uncle Lu, please contact me first. If you really don't have enough time, then you'll talk about it."

Zhang Yifei is quite confident about sponsoring this matter, which may be related to his concepts in later generations.

After all, twenty years later, the advertising costs of thousands of dollars are just a small amount. Any popular TV series or variety show, there are not a few who win the advertising costs of hundreds of millions of dollars. Zhang Yifei didn't think that two million dollars were a big problem.

He even thought that this kind of opportunity for global advertising would be a bargain of $2 million. After all, the era of Ferrari and Schumacher will soon usher in, and the influence of F1 will reach its historical peak.

Under this global popularity, if the sponsorship fee is placed in twenty years, it will probably be 100 million units, and it will be US dollars!

However, Zhang Yifei did not consider the domestic economic situation and consumption concepts, and had not experienced the 20 years of rapid economic development. There are not many Chinese wealthy and enterprises who are willing to pay tens of millions of advertising fees nowadays.

"Well, I'll contact you later."

Lu Ningping nodded and began to think about the appropriate sponsors in her mind, mainly some entrepreneurs from Hong Kong Island.

After all, as the world's financial center, Hong Kong Island's rich people were relatively rich in this era and had a wider vision.

Two million US dollars is a big sum, but for real large enterprises and wealthy people, it is not an exaggeration. It just depends on whether they are willing to pay the money.

After confirming this matter, Lu Ningping left home and helped Zhang Yifei contact the wealthy and enterprises in Hong Kong Island.

The main reason why Lu Ningping met so many Hong Kong rich people is that it is related to the students of the Kart Club.

You should know that those who have money to play karts in this era and can also invest in building a club. The family is basically the kind of wealth or noble. After long-term communication, it is naturally a disguised expansion of their connections.

Of course, knowing each other does not mean that you can talk to them about business. If it were an ordinary coach, in the eyes of these rich people, they would just work.

But Lu Ningping is different. He has the identity of the Chinese car king and is considered a banner figure in domestic motorsports. Moreover, Lu Ningping has a deep relationship with many old leaders of the China Flight Federation. These people are basically the backbone of the General Administration of Sports. With his relationship with Mr. Huo on Hong Kong Island, Lu Ningping's status is far from being as simple as a coach.

As soon as Lu Ningping left, Lu Ningjing, the little girl, was stuck like a dog skin plaster, asking all kinds of curious questions about Zhang Yifei's racing experience in Europe.

At first, Zhang Yifei was able to answer patiently, but later there were all kinds of questions, which were completely unstoppable. He almost exploded with the mentality of Zhang Yifei's asking questions.

Finally, because the class time was up in the afternoon, Lu Ningjing left reluctantly, which also made Zhang Yifei breathe a sigh of relief.

After Lu Ningjing left, Zhang Yifei entered the waiting time, but Zhang Yifei was calm and calm. He knew that he couldn't hurry up and could not achieve haste.

However, the progress of the matter exceeded Zhang Yifei's previous expectations. Uncle Lu left for more than an hour, and Zhang Yifei received a call from him.

"Yifei, the sponsorship is already obvious. Mr. Guo Henian, chairman of Guo Group, plans to interview you."

Guo Group?

After hearing this name, Zhang Yifei began to search for relevant memories in his mind. He is not very familiar with business entrepreneurs, but if he remembers correctly, Guo Group seems to be an overseas Chinese company in Malaysia, and is in a leading position in the hotel industry and sugar industry in Asia.

For example, the famous Shangri-La Hotel Group in later generations was an industry under the Guo Group, but I don’t know if there has been any changes in this world.

“There is no problem with the interview, where is it?”

"No. 16, Peak Gefu Road, Mr. Guo is waiting for you at home."

The summit is the abbreviation, and the full name should be called Taiping Mountain Top, which is a traditional settlement area for wealthy people in Hong Kong. Many of the luxury houses raised in Hong Kong Island in later generations actually refer to this place.

Zhang Yifei naturally knew about this famous place, so he immediately replied: "Okay, I'll go there right away."

I called a taxi to No. 16, Gefu Road, Peak. As soon as Zhang Yifei pushed open the door and got out of the car, he saw a middle-aged man wearing Western butler's clothes standing by the roadside.

After seeing Zhang Yifei, he bowed slightly to Zhang Yifei, then made a gesture of invitation and said, "Mr. Zhang, the chairman is already waiting for you in the living room, please come with me."

"OK, thanks."

Zhang Yifei replied politely, but he was quite curious and surprised. Maybe it was because of his rustic and loser. He had only watched the profession of housekeeper on TV before, and this was the first time he had seen it in reality.

Following the middle-aged butler, Zhang Yifei entered this mountaintop mansion. The decoration style is standard European and British, which is related to the special historical reasons of Hong Kong Island. Zhang Yifei is not new to this style, because he has finished the Silverstone Station in the UK and has seen a lot of British decoration styles, but it is just that it is more luxurious.

There is a huge reception table in the living room, and an old man sat on the main seat, with Uncle Lu sitting on his left hand. If nothing unexpected happens, the old man should be Mr. Guo Henian, chairman of the Guo Group.

"Hello, Mr. Guo, I am Zhang Yifei."

Zhang Yifei said hello first. After all, the other party can be his grandfather at age. Zhang Yifei has never lacked this.

Hearing Zhang Yifei's greetings, Guo Henian smiled and said in a kind tone: "I have seen a lot of reports about you in the news before, and now I look so handsome. I have become China's first F1 driver at such a young age. It's true that he is a hero-like boy."

"Come on, fly, sit down and say."

After Guo Henian praised him, he greeted Zhang Yifei like a kind elder. His attitude still made Zhang Yifei have a good impression of him. It is true that he can become a top entrepreneur, and it is not without reason.

After taking the seat, Guo Henian said, "Yifei, Xiao Lu has already told me about sponsorship. Although I am just a Chinese, I am also concerned about the development of my mother country's sports career. As the first Chinese driver to enter F1, we naturally need to support you."

Listening to Guo Henian's words, Zhang Yifei did not speak out because he felt that in such a tone, there would definitely be one more thing in the back.

Sure enough, Guo Henian immediately said: "In fact, it is not just China that develops the F1 sports, but Malaysia has also built the Sepang track this year. F1 racing is booming in Southeast Asia and expanding its influence."

"Take the current growing Asian influence of F1 as an example, the sponsorship fee of 2 million US dollars is actually not much, and it can even be said to be a discounted price."

Compared with many domestic companies, they do not have a clear understanding of F1 event sponsorship and are different from that of many domestic companies.

Because of the construction of the Sepang track, the development of F1 sports is actually ahead of China. Therefore, Guo Henian is not unfamiliar with the F1 sponsorship system. He knows that the sponsorship fee of two million US dollars is an extremely preferential price.

“We have no problem with sponsorship, but we have an additional requirement.”

What should come, but it will come eventually. Zhang Yifei was also ready to make the other party's request, so he replied calmly: "Mr. Guo, what do you have to ask?"

"Our Guo Group is planning to enter the hotel industry in the mainland, so it needs to expand its influence in the mainland. But you also know that there is no Chinese Grand Prix at the moment, and the Donghai International Track is still under construction, and it will take at least two years to start."

"So we set our sights on the Grand Prix in the Island of O, which is the most prestigious Formula 3 event in Asia. If you can participate, I think the influence on the mainland will definitely be a sensational level!"

This is the condition that Guo Henian wants to interview Zhang Yifei, that is, there is no problem with sponsorship of two million US dollars, but Zhang Yifei must participate in the Grand Prix of the Island of O.O.

Because compared with Formula Racing in other places, the Grand Prix on O Island is at your doorstep. It can be said that the effect brought by both the spread of the event and the influence are more direct and obvious.

In addition, the Island of Australia also has special historical reasons and is currently on the eve of its return. If Zhang Yifei can achieve good results, he will definitely receive free media publicity at the national level under the bonus at this special time point.

Perhaps the ultimate influence is similar to winning the championship at home in the 2008 Olympics.

At present, the focus of the Guo Group is to open up the market in the mainland, so for them, the influence of a Grand Prix on the Island of Australia may be far beyond that of the ordinary F1 Grand Prix.

It has to be said that there is a reason why Guo Henian can become the richest man in Malay. At least this business vision is very vicious. In the short period of negotiations with Lu Ningping, he took into account all kinds of benefits clearly.

But this is not a happy thing for Zhang Yifei.

The Grand Prix of the Island of O is indeed famous and even has the title of the cradle of racing new stars. Many world-renowned racers have come to the Island of O to participate during the newcomer period, such as Senna, Schumacher, Hamilton, Kubica, Vettel, etc.

However, Zhang Yifei is not an ordinary newcomer, he can be regarded as an official F1 driver. The full name of the O Island Grand Prix in Formula Racing is the Fia Intercontinental Cup of the O Island Grand Prix Formula 3!

To put it simply, it is a F3 level competition.

In reality, there are not many F1 drivers participating in low-level Formula racing, and there are still many.

For example, the third driver, when the test driver has no chance to play, he will participate in the f3000 level event, which is a very common scenario.
To be continued...