Formula 1 will expand its roster of fan festival events to at least seven next year.
Following the introduction of the events with F1 Live London in 2017, three fan festivals were held this year in Shanghai, Marseilles and Milan. A further festival will be held in Miami to coincide with the United States Grand Prix. A planned event in Berlin during the German Grand Prix weekend was cancelled.However F1’s commercial managing director Sean Bratches told RaceFans in an exclusive interview they are aiming to run even more of the events next year.
“We did four this year, we’re looking at a minimum of seven next year,” Bratches confirmed. “And I think that number actually has the scope to grow.
“We’ve spent a lot of time looking strategically at markets that we think are ripe to engage fans, that will drive business interests of ours, our promoters, our sponsors, and our broadcast partners.”
F1’s market research has informed how future festivals will be planned, said Bratches.
“What we found was the most compelling aspect of that was the car runs. And I think as we go forward, that’s where we’re going to put our shoulder behind.
“I think it’s the best way that we can engage fans in population centres, where we can really surprise, delight and have many, many fans enjoy, touch, feel and smell the beautiful iconography of the sport.”
Sebastian Vettel damaged his Ferrari in a slow-speed crash during the most recent fan festival in Milan (pictured).
Read our full exclusive interview with Sean Bratches tomorrow on RaceFans.
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BasCB (@bascb)
11th September 2018, 18:14
Good idea. Yes, the sport needs some promotion. And seeing the cars run (at speed) is almost certainly the best way to get anyone enthusiastic about them.
I would also love to see an opportunity to “look under the bonnet” at fan events though
James (@knewman)
11th September 2018, 20:03
I bet there’d be a pile of NDAs to sign before any bonnets are unlatched
BasCB (@bascb)
11th September 2018, 20:16
Sadly yes. Even then I would probably happily sign a whole stack of them @knewman!
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
11th September 2018, 18:15
Boy oh boy – this man worships money dosen’t he … Sorry, sorry. I meant he worships F1 – of course.
Jimmi Cynic (@jimmi-cynic)
11th September 2018, 21:47
@nullapax: Creepy marketing FTW.
Thanks, Bratches, the stench of your marketing drivel is stinky enough – you can keep your iconography in your filthy little focus group closet.
Took some years to become accustomed to RonSpeak. Not enough decades in the universe to accept SeanSpew.
Andy Mail (@amail)
11th September 2018, 22:12
@nullapax: F1 is a business, and effective marketing is good business. Fan engagement is vital – I remember seeing several F1 cars on display in Paris around 2008 or so. It was just fantastic to see, and as a fan I very much appreciated it. Not sure where all this hate comes from?
georgeboole (@)
11th September 2018, 18:37
That means that only the markets where F1 is already present will get those shows?
My first and last time seeing an F1 car here in Greece was back in 2006. I m glad i had the opportunity to meet Mark Webber and touch the car but guess that won’t happen again anytime soon.
georgeboole (@)
11th September 2018, 18:41
Edit: That must have been 2007 but anyway
Miltiadis (@miltosgreekfan)
11th September 2018, 19:35
Yep, we are screwed😬
Although there were some stats about tv figures & we were in the top 20 worldwide, we will have to wait ages to see something F1 related in Greece…
An official store would be a good step to begin with😆
georgeboole (@)
11th September 2018, 20:37
@miltosgreekfan there used to be 2 of them but disappeared. And since theres no official interest whatsoever for F1 i think it will take ages to see another one
Miltiadis (@miltosgreekfan)
11th September 2018, 20:42
@georgeboole Yeah, we are very limited nowadays… Just from curiosity, where were those 2 stores? I knew that a Ferrari store existed in Athens, but the other one?
georgeboole (@)
11th September 2018, 21:48
I had to see it to believe. Arachova.
Panagiotis Papatheodorou (@panagiotism-papatheodorou)
11th September 2018, 19:53
Fellow Greek here. The only time I saw an F1 car up close was when I was a little kid in 2004-2005 when I saw a BAR Honda in an expo.
Shame they are not coming here.
Miltiadis (@miltosgreekfan)
11th September 2018, 20:44
@panagiotism-papatheodorou Same here! The one & only time i saw F1 cars were in a big car show in 2005. They had the wonderful Renault & the Toyota. Good times!
Matteo (@m-bagattini)
12th September 2018, 8:48
@panagiotism-papatheodorou F1 around the Acropolis and thru Plaka would be pretty dope
Jere (@jerejj)
12th September 2018, 10:37
I wish I could get to drive an F1 car (most preferably one from this V6 turbo hybrid era) in a fan festival demo run someday, LOL.