WRC seals Autodoc partnership

WRC Promoter has sealed an agreement with Autodoc, Europe’s leading online car parts sales business, to be the next official partner of the FIA World Rally Championship.

WRC Promoter has sealed an agreement with Autodoc, Europe’s leading online car parts sales business, to be the next official partner of the FIA World Rally Championship.
Autodoc, which is based in Berlin, was formed in 2008 and has grown rapidly in the decade since. It now retails car parts via a strong customer-friendly digital approach in 26 European countries.
The company will join the WRC family from next week’s season-opening Rallye Monte-Carlo (24 - 27 January) and will benefit from prominent TV visibility and service park branding at all European rounds.
Autodoc will also enjoy comprehensive online activation on the series’ official wrc.com website and its growing social media platforms, as well as bespoke videos for use across its own channels.
Car owners’ growing ‘do-it-yourself’ approach to repairs means Autodoc stocks more than 2.5 million products for 119 car brands at three locations in Berlin and one in Poland.
Its biggest sales area covers car brakes and classic wear parts such as air and oil filters, engine oils and spark plugs, as well as larger parts such as bonnets, alternators and exhaust systems.
It supports its sales with more than 1600 tutorials on social media to show customers how to replace parts.
WRC Promoter managing director Oliver Ciesla welcomed Autodoc to the championship’s growing portfolio of premium partners.
“In a relatively short period of time, Autodoc has established itself as Europe’s leader in a quickly growing business area and the WRC is delighted to provide the platform for further growth at our European rounds,” he said.
“Visibility on our TV programmes and a weekend-long presence in the WRC service park at European rallies will provide direct contact with our fans, and potential new customers, in Autodoc’s target markets.”
Autodoc CEO Alexej Erdle said there were clear parallels between the tough nature of the company’s day-to-day business and the WRC.
“For a while we have been looking for an opportunity to place our rapidly expanding company in a significant sponsorship and from the beginning it was clear we should only choose an outstanding sport.
“The WRC embodies a strong and highly competitive world-class sport in which only the most dedicated, innovative and best players reach the top. The comparisons with Autodoc are clear,” he said.

wrc.com