Don�t get taken for a ride: Getting the right stuff

If you go to a Formula One race there are hundreds of stalls selling everything that the avid fan could want. But merchandising is such big business that it is now difficult to tell which items are official and which are just cheap imitations. Although there is nothing wrong with buying a cheap T-shirt that features the face of your favourite driver, it is like everything else in life �you get what you pay for. That�s why Formula One teams all have their own official merchandise ranges these days. By buying official merchandise you not only ensure that your purchases have the right logos and photos, but that they are also of good quality. Drivers and teams like nothing less than seeing their logos on something that is poorly made or falling apart � it reflects badly upon them.

Although the teams and drivers do take a small percentage from each item purchased, which means these items are more expensive than the bootleg items sold unofficially, you at least know that you are getting the real deal. You also know that the exact same item that you buy is worn by the teams or drivers themselves.

The best way to check that you are buying proper merchandise is to go to an official shop at a Grand Prix. These usually feature the team�s name and logo above the shop � and if you look inside the items of clothing you should find an official label saying they are licensed by the team. You can be sure that anyone selling items from the back of a van or at the side of a street is not offering you officially licensed goods.