Fabio Calamosca, Head of Fan Strategy and Planning – Formula 1
F1 was the fastest-growing global sport on social media in 2022 and one in three fans started following F1 in the last four years Fabio Calamosca (Head of Fan Strategy and Planning at F1) said at ISC this morning.
He added that Netflix series Drive to Survive is just one channel through which this fandom is being ignited..
“It’s gaming, fantasy, F1TV, F1 Arcade…today the F1 Exhibition also opened in Madrid,” he said. “We have attracted a large number of new fans in a short period of time. The majority of [new] fans are fans who have made a connection with the sport…sports fans [talking about F1] within their circle of friends.
“These fans are wearing the F1 badge of honour, and the job for us is making sure we keep on elevating them, so that they stick with the sport before they move on to the next cool thing.”
Calamosca said F1’s new brand campaign – This is No Ordinary Sport – is targeted specifically at existing sports fans who have previously not engaged with F1. It was launched at the 2023 F1 season start in Bahrain this March.
F1 insight shows that 50% of F1 fans in the US have become a fan in the last year, and a number of marketing initiatives have been created specifically for that market Calamosca said.
This includes the F1 Wake Up Call service which gives fans a phone call from their favourite driver to wake them up in time for the race, in recognition that 80% of races take place in Europe and Asia.
“We’ve been working on trying to create a Sunday morning ritual for watching the sport in the US. It’s a big opportunity because there’s not much live sport airing on a Sunday morning,” he added.
