Santander and Formula One (A)

Case A begins in the fall of 2009 as Santander's first foray into corporate sponsorship, their contract with F1 Team Mercedes McLaren, is coming up for renewal. Active since 2007, the sponsorship is strategically aimed at raising Santander's awareness in key geographic markets where it is in the process of rebranding previously acquired local banks under the unified Santander name. Santander chooses F1 for its ability to provide a large, international fan following while at the same time offering Santander extensive brand presence during events. Then, since the UK's Abbey Bank, acquired in 2004, is the first to undergo rebranding, Santander partners with Team McLaren, which offers "a UK Team with a Spanish driver and a German motor". In the very first season, however, a major scandal forces McLaren to lose (Spanish driver) Fernando Alonso and also become disqualified from the Constructors Championship. Therefore, as the contract expires, Santander must determine whether it should renew with McLaren, stay in F1 with a different Team, or leave F1 for another sports sponsorship or a different strategy altogether.