Boost cuts Supercars pole award budget

Boost Mobile hats have been a hot topic in the Supercars paddock since Bathurst where Broc Feeney wore a Triple Eight team cap, rather than a Boost Mobile hat, after securing pole for the Sunday race.

That was poorly received by Boost Mobile, which took over from Armor All as the pole award backer for this season.

While there have since been rule changes made to better clarify the commitments for a driver if he is to take pole, it has now come to light that three drivers are formally exempt from wearing a Boost Mobile hat on TV.

They are Optus-backed Chaz Mostert and Vodafone-sponsored Feeney and David Reynolds.

• David Reynolds weighs in on Supercars hat debate

Given the exemption, Mostert didn’t wear a Boost hat when accepting his pole award earlier today at Albert Park and instead went hatless during his TV commitments.

While Boost has accepted the exemptions, it has, according to the Peter Adderton-led telco, come at a price for Supercars.

Boost Mobile confirmed to Speedcafe today that the exemptions mean a reduction in the sponsorship spend, given all drivers wearing the hat was part of the original deal.

Adderton also took to social media to say that Matt Payne, who wore a Boost Mobile hat after taking pole for Race 3 at Albert Park, could have both $1000 pole cheques and Mostert can go without the cash bonus.

• Waters makes cheeky pole hat quip

Feeney is already a two-time pole winner this season, and is likely to score plenty more, while Mostert’s Race 4 pole at Albert Park was his first of the season.

That means from the six poles on offer so far this season, three have gone to Boost-exempt drivers.

Ironically, the hat drama has given the pole award, and in turn Boost Mobile, more attention and media coverage than it otherwise would have, fuelled by Adderton’s significant social following.

 

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