On the surface, Orion180 teaming up with Haas is an obvious fit: two American brands looking to work together in a country where Formula 1 has never been bigger – but the shared challenges of battling against the elite in their respective industries was ultimately a much more uniting factor.
Insurance firm Orion180 has become the latest backer of Haas, with a multi-year partnership announced at the start of race week for the United States Grand Prix in Austin as the Orion180 logo adorns race suits and cars as part of the agreement.
The number of American partners joining Formula 1 has almost doubled since Liberty Media completed their takeover in 2016 – but it was not just flying the same flag that led Orion180 to get on board by linking up with Haas.
“Both companies, we are competing against the big boys very nicely,” Orion180 founder and Chief Executive Ken Gregg told Autosport.
“If you look at where we do business, it is in areas where a lot of those big boys and a lot of the major players and established brands are pulling away, and we're going in, and we actually have some of the largest market share in some of those areas.
“We both focus tremendously on data analytics, trying to find unique, creative solutions to our challenges, and utilizing data and trying to be efficient about doing it.
“Then the other thing that really impressed me about Haas, like Orion180, is it's built ground up - Haas being one of the few teams that's gone into F1 and not bought a team, but built a team from the ground up and is competing at a level so early on against teams that are larger players and more established.”
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu echoed the sentiments of Gregg as the team added to a partnership portfolio which remains the smallest on the grid.
“I’m delighted to welcome Orion180, one of the fastest growing and innovative U.S. insurers, as the latest long-term partner of MoneyGram Haas F1 Team,” he said.
“Orion180 understands the value of charting a different course to compete with the top incumbents, something we fully understand competing at the pinnacle of motorsport. We welcome their trust in how we are evolving and look forward to delivering great value to them throughout our partnership.”
The timing of the announcement was, of course, no accident with all eyes on Texas this weekend as the Formula 1 title fight looks set for further twists and turns.
Haas heads to the Lone Star State having also announced a new technical partnership with Toyota as well as their new sponsors Orion180.
The Miami Grand Prix in May came too soon for the partnership to be confirmed but, for Gregg, Austin was the perfect location.
“It is still the big race in America, and it was important for us when we started looking at the partnership and entering the sponsorship that we would be announcing it in Austin,” he told Autosport.
“But it was more than just the American team component. The American team component was definitely not to be discounted but when I sat there and I spoke with Haas directly, and when I talked to them and I found out about the company, how they did it, the synergies between the two companies was really what put it over the top for me.
“It very much is similar to our story here at Orion180 everything about us has been built ground up. We don't have any outside money inside the company. We've not been backed by any private equity; we were one of the fastest-growing companies in America for two years in a row.
“That's why we felt it was time to come out with this partnership with F1 especially, as F1 is growing its brand, its popularity around the world, but especially in the US, which we all know what a large consumer market, the US is.
“For us, it's the same deal. We want to continue and now make our brand really stand out and we thought Haas would be a fantastic partner to do with.”
