[Keith Collantine]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34829627@N03/8634668082/in/photostream

Following on the heels of Roary the Racing Car and Tooned, here’s a new animated TV series for children with a motor racing theme.

Called Team Franco (they might want to rethink that for the Spanish market) the series is aimed at youngsters aged three to seven:

Motor racing is set to transcend the generations as Team Franco, an animated racing series specifically for 3-7 year olds, gears up for its debut.

Based on the renowned designs of motorsport cartoonist Jim Bamber, Team Franco follows the adventures of six-year-old Franco who, together with his race car friends, learns about the fascinating cultures and customs around the globe as he explores the imaginary land of Race World.

Motor racing fans around the world are now being given the unique opportunity to pledge to become part of this brand new racing phenomenon in exchange for Team Franco rewards. Pledging as little as £1 (GBP), motorsport fans can get their hands on a range of race-related items and be entered into a prize draw for a trip to Abu Dhabi. Children can also enter a Design the Car competition with the winning design being transformed for the TV series.

Team Franco is the brainchild of British businesswoman Marina Nicholas who was inspired to create the series after her son and husband’s shared passion for motor racing. Besieged with questions from her son about international racing and the movement of racing cars around the world, Franco was created and links motor racing with geography for the perfect mix of entertainment and education.

Bringing to life the incredible sights and experiences of racing across six continents, Team Franco, along with his trusted companion Susie the Safety Car, and ten other super powered vehicles, this is motor racing like never before: from sandstorms in the desert to monsoons in the rainforest!

The award-winning series has already been pre-sold into 28 countries and is to be distributed by Dreamworks Classics as soon as this final funding phase is completed. With $7 million of the $8.7 million already secured thanks to the backing of two production companies, the Kickstarter initiative is the perfect way to get people involved with Team Franco as soon as the first race is underway. In addition to getting some great goodies for both children and adults, anyone pledging to Team Franco will be entered into the grand prize draw and has the opportunity to win an amazing weekend for four in Abu Dhabi taking in the Grand Prix and Ferrari World.

Speaking from the Cannes TV Festival Marina Nicholas says

“This is an exciting opportunity to engage with motor racing fans and help them become part of the global TV series. Crowd funding has been an increasingly successful way of fundraising in recent years and I wanted to bring fans into Franco’s Raceworld from the very first lap and make them part of the adventure. As motor racing gears up for another busy weekend around the world, Team Franco is hoping to drive passion for racing to even younger audiences.”

[Prisoner Monkeys]

So it’s Dora the Explorer at 300km/h?

[Bendanarama]

So it’s Dora the Explorer at 300km/h?

That actually sounds depressingly entertaining.

[andae23]

So it’s Dora the Explorer at 300km/h?

Well, that’s all the motivation I need! :P

[Alfie]

Susie the Safety Car, good lord. Looks a bit like F1 Race Stars.

[Force Maikel]

Dear mother of god :O has it really been that long we’ve had a grand prix?

[robk23]

Are they going to have an episode where it rains and then nothing happens?

[sozavele]

Sounds Brilliant…..where can I pledge?

[Magnificent Geoffrey]

Are they going to have an episode where it rains and then nothing happens?

[JamieFranklinF1]

I think it’s a great idea. When I have kids, they will be sat down in front of this, I can tell you xD

I would also like to know where it is that you go to pledge the £1…and perhaps, where to go to design a car? Surely they’d take a 20 year old’s design…right?…

[andae23]

Surprised nobody has uploaded it yet, but here’s the series’ trailer that won an award for ‘best new children’s idea’ in Cannes last year:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pzMbMi1uLk
Because I’m basically a big 5-year-old, I also went looking for a website. After being directed to a Team Franco bodybuilding website multiple times, I found their official website. Here you can find all sort of AWESOME stuff, including the ‘design a car’ competition.

[Craig Woollard]

For some strange reason, I have a feeling this may be more up my 5-year-old nephew’s street than mine…

[DaveF1]

Called Team Franco (they might want to rethink that for the Spanish market)

I laughed much more than I should have at that…

Anyway it does seem like something my little brother would like watching considering he’s already a massive F1 fanatic at the grand old age of 6 :P

[codesurge]

Here’s their Kickstarter campaign: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1069810859/team-franco-kids-cgi-tv-series-pre-sold-to-28-coun

They might be biting off more than they can chew with a funding target of 1.16M GBP, especially with only 11 backers onboard so far.

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