On behalf of tire manu­fac­turer Goodyear, 1996 saw Oliver Schrott Kommu­nika­tion develop an all-new PR format in support of Goodyear’s Formula 1 involve­ment — “Rock’n Race”, an open-air festival at the Hock­en­heim­ring racing circuit. Center stage — the live broad­cast of the Italian Grand Prix, celebrity commen­ta­tors such as Heinz-Harald Frenzen and the only concert of the year by German rock star Marius Müller-West­ern­hagen. Over 50,000 paying guests expe­ri­enced a colorful Formula 1 family festival with a rocking evening line-up — and Goodyear got Germany-wide coverage for its motor­sport involve­ment.

West­ern­hagen revs it up. When the red curtain fell on Sunday evening, there was no more holding back for the 50,000 fans in the Südkurve. Thou­sands of them had already stormed the first Goodyear Rock’n Race festival at the Hock­en­heim­ring early in the morning. All day long it was all about motor­sport and the Formula 1 race in Monza — until West­ern­hagen took to the stage for the first and only time this year. There, where it is normally racing drivers pushing the limits, it was the rock star that claimed the high revs.

Asso­ci­ated Press