Grassroots racing sponsorship inspiration from The Lionesses

Photo by Anastasia Shuraeva

A recent article on The Sponsor got me thinking about how racing drivers can push grassroots sport in a way that not only is great for motorsport but also has a lot of benefits for the sponsor, too.

When cloud accounting platform Xero partnered with the England women’s football team, The Lionesses, the intention wasn’t just to slap a logo on a kit and call it a day. Instead, the brand set out to support the full ecosystem of the sport, from elite athletes to grassroots clubs, while amplifying the real stories of the people within it.

That authenticity is exactly what made the partnership stand out.

If you're a racing driver looking to pitch for motorsport sponsorship, there’s a lot to take from this. Especially if you're passionate about giving back to the sport that helped raise you.

Your local kart club is a small business

One of the most powerful parts of the Xero-Lionesses partnership is how it reframes grassroots football clubs as what they really are: community-run small businesses. That same framing can be applied to motorsport.

Your local karting track, junior series, or club racing championship… they all run on tight margins, volunteers, and a whole lot of love. Helping these organisations survive and thrive means more seats for young drivers, more access to racing for kids from non-traditional backgrounds, and ultimately, a more sustainable sport.

When you pitch to a potential sponsor, especially one with a community or small business focus, think about how you can help them support that ecosystem. Can your campaign highlight a local kart club? Offer free coaching days? Run a workshop on setting up a race team as a business? The more value you bring, the more compelling your pitch becomes.

Storytelling sells

What made Xero’s campaign work wasn’t just the alignment with small businesses; it was the way they told stories. They didn’t just say they supported women’s football; they showed it through the lens of real people. Like Lioness Jill Scott, who opened her own café in Manchester. Real athlete, real business, real impact.

For racing drivers, this is your cue to lean into your story and the stories of those around you. Did you start in arrive-and-drive karting? Did your mechanic launch their own workshop? Does your teammate run a sim racing league for young girls? These stories matter to sponsors who care about community.

The bonus? You don’t need a massive following to make this work. A beautifully told story on LinkedIn, a short video with a compelling message, or a grassroots campaign that shines a light on others can go a long way in building credibility.

Go beyond the sticker

Too many sponsorship proposals still focus solely on logo placement. But Xero’s approach was to embed itself in the sport’s development, with initiatives such as a mentorship programme for small business owners in football.

Drivers can do the same. Think beyond the car. Could you:

• Create a toolkit for families entering karting for the first time?

• Host a Q&A with local students interested in engineering or media?

• Pair with a sponsor to support scholarships, travel grants, or sim rigs for underrepresented kids?

You don’t have to go as big as The Lionesses and Xero did. Think about how you can make this relevant to the businesses you want to pitch to. This is the kind of partnership that turns a sponsor into a stakeholder—and you into someone who champions the sport’s future.

Make sure there’s a benefit for the business; it’s rare that these things are purely altruistic. But a community initiative can boost brand loyalty, help the brand reach new people, and give them something good to shout about on their socials.

Authenticity is everything

As Xero’s Sam Daniels put it: “Authenticity comes from consistent support, including when there’s not a tournament on.”

That means sticking around even when the spotlight fades.

This advice applies to motorsport, where sponsors often flock to the biggest series and forget about the ladder underneath. When pitching, show how you’re in this for the long haul — and how your sponsor can be too. Propose a year-round content plan, a recurring community initiative, or ongoing storytelling that keeps their brand front and centre even when you’re not racing.

TL;DR – What You Can Pitch

If you want to build a pitch that mirrors the success of Xero and The Lionesses, try this framework:

• Shared values: Show how your values align with the sponsor’s (e.g. community, business growth, education).

• Real-world impact: Propose an initiative that directly supports grassroots motorsport.

• Authentic storytelling: Use your own story and others’ to demonstrate value and relevance.

• Beyond the race car: Include off-track deliverables like content, mentorship, events, or educational tools.

• Long-term commitment: Pitch something sustainable that lasts beyond the current season.

By following this approach, you're not just asking for money. You're offering a way for brands to make a real difference in motorsport — from the grassroots up.