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- Tracking: Month 2 Fan Engagement Update
Tracking: Month 2 Fan Engagement Update
Who's been sharing what, two months into the F1 season
Georgia Carroll
May 08, 2024
It’s been two months since I began tracking the fan engagement efforts of the ten Formula 1 teams.
We’re six races into the season, which means teams have had six opportunities to engage with their fans through pre-race content, weekend updates, and race recaps. So let’s see what they’ve shared.
Note: This data does not include videos shared solely to social media (i.e. Instagram Reels, TikToks, etc) because I am one person manually tracking everything. In the future I’ll try and do a post just on social media content, but at this stage I don’t have the capacity to count and analyse each one.
This data is as accurate as possible to the 6th of May 2024.
The Fan Engagement Championship - Month Two
The positions moved in these rankings are based on my month-one evaluations of each team. You can also see my day-one evaluations here.
P1 - Williams (-)
Overview
It’s still not looking great for Williams on track (your heart has to break for Logan Sargeant crashing out in his home Grand Prix through no fault of his own!), but they’re still killing the fan engagement game.
Newsletters sent: 19
Sales-Specific newsletters: 2
Driver Videos
Williams have kept up their consistency with their driver-led Team Torque, releasing a video each week.
This month, we got three new episodes of Team Torque, two featuring both Alex and Logan, and one featuring Logan, his trainer, and a special guest. Plus, we got a bonus appearance from Oscar Piastri, which we love to see!
I’m loving this consistency from Williams. It shows that driver engagement is possible outside a thirty-second race recap video, and I wish more teams would follow their lead!
Technical comms
The Williams Warm-Up:
What: Before each Race, Williams release a video featuring Team Principal James Vowles along with other miscellaneous members of the technical team to provide a preview of the weekend ahead.
Where: Youtube, their app
Race Commentary
What: Live updates during each session of a race weekend
Where: Their app and website
The Vowles Verdict:
What: Following each race, Team Principal James Vowles records a video discussing how the race went and answering fan questions.
Where: Youtube, their app, website
Reports:
What: Written recaps of each day of a race weekend
Where: Website and race day recap shared via email
Bonus
Fan Friday:
=P2 - Red Bull (-)
Overview
Overall, a reasonably straightforward fan engagement offering from Red Bull. A fair chunk of newsletters, driver videos, and ongoing touchpoints via their “The Paddock” fan club.
Newsletters sent: 11
Sales-specific newsletters: 2
Driver Videos
Red Bull have shared four driver-focused videos on their YouTube page this month, which isn’t too shabby.
Technical Comms
Driver Recaps:
What: Video recaps from Max and Checo
Where: Website, email
Reports:
What: Written recap of the race
Where: Email and website
Bonus
Accessibility:
Red Bull were the only team at the Miami Grand Prix to use alt text on their results graphics. While they only used it on 3/5 graphics, when the bar is below ground, we’ll celebrate any attempt at creating accessible content.
=P2 - Ferrari (+1)
Overview
I’ve moved Ferrari up to an equal P2 with Red Bull this month. While their fan navigation journey is still confusing, they’re at least attempting to reach fans across a significant range of touchpoints.
Newsletters sent: 15
Sales-specific newsletters: 9
Driver Videos
The Ferrari App and Youtube feature multiple styles of videos featuring the drivers, including “Full Access” (documentary), Charles and Carlos’ Preview Guides, and challenge videos.
Technical Comms
Previews:
What: Written previews of a race weekend
Where: Website and via email
Race Commentary:
What: Live updates during each session of a race weekend
Where: Their app
Reports:
What: Written recaps of the race
Where: Website and via email
P4 - McLaren (+1)
Overview
McLaren have jumped above Aston Martin this month for having a more fan-friendly vibe and variety of output.
Newsletters sent: 12
Sales-specific newsletters: 5
Driver Videos
While I’m not tracking social media videos, I’ll at least mention that McLaren upload theirs to YouTube Shorts. This can be seen as an attempt to fill the hole left by the loss of their Unboxed series, although other teams are still showing there’s a lot more that can be done with driver-focused video content.
McLaren also shared a sponsored video from Oscar’s time with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation while he was in Australia.
Technical Comms
What: An “anonymous” contributor to the McLaren commentary feed, answering fan questions (although the hashtag on Twitter seems quite quiet of late)
Where: The McLaren app
Race Commentary:
What: Live updates during each session of a race weekend
Where: Their app
Reports:
What: Written recaps of each day of a race weekend
Where: Website, and race-day recap sent via email
BTS Content:
What: 101-style informative content with non-driver members of their team
Where: Website and YouTube
Bonus
Fan social media highlights:
P5 - Aston Martin (-1)
Overview
P5 feels fitting for Aston, because they’re not not trying, but they’re also not making too much of splash. I’d love to see some more driver focused content from them, because right now they’re starting to feel a bit too corporate for my taste.
Newsletters sent: 11
Sales-specific newsletters: 2
Driver Videos
N/A
Technical Comms
Mike On:
What: A newsletter sent each race week from Team Principal Mike Krack
Where: Email and website
BTS Content:
What: Interviews and behind-the-scenes content with their non-driver team members.
Where: Website and Youtube
Reports:
What: Written recaps of the race
Where: Website and email
P6 - Mercedes (+2)
Overview
I’ve jumped Mercedes up a few spots this month. Even though their lack of a newsletter still frustrates me no end, they’ve shared some driver videos this month which gives them points, and I’ve also taken their website commentary into account.
(Yes, I should have been taking it into account from day one, but I only discovered it this month - I’m not claiming this is a perfect system!)
Newsletters sent: 15
Sales-specific newsletters: 15
Driver Videos
Technical Comms
Race Commentary:
What: Live updates during each session of a race weekend
Where: Their website and WhatsApp channel
Akkodis Race Debrief:
What: Videos from James Allison and Andrew Shovlin debriefing the race and answering fan questions
Where: Youtube, social media
Reports:
What: Written recaps following quali and the race
Where: Website
Team Content:
What: Articles featuring non-driver members of the Mercedes team to highlight their roles
Where: Website
All of my love to whoever decided on this series title
P7 - Haas (-1)
Overview
There’s not much to say about Haas. Just like their on-track performance, they’re giving it their best, but there’s room to improve.
Newsletters sent: 8
Sales-specific newsletters: 1
Driver Videos
N/A
Technical Comms
Ayao’s Monthly Update
What: Ayao has returned with his second Team Principal newsletter, reflecting on recent races and what’s ahead (the big news out of the team obviously being Nico Hulkenberg moving to Sauber next year!).
Where: Email
Reports:
What: Written recaps of each day of a race weekend
Where: Website, and race-day recap sent via email
P8 - Visa CashApp RB (-1)
Overview
For a team attempting an identity refresh, RB are still floundering. They have limited non-social touchpoints for fans, and don’t seem to be trying too hard to engage, rather spending their time trying to be “hip”, and just kind of coming across a bit corporate-cringe. I’ll give them points for a gorgeous special livery in Miami, but unfortunately, hosting a VIP livery launch and tying in with a sponsored debit card doesn’t count for actual fan engagement.
(and please, I’m begging them to stop sharing their results via videos - it’s completely inaccessible and I need them to at least pretend they care!)
Newsletters sent: 4
Sales-specific newsletters: 1
Driver Videos
There’s still no sign of the teased “The Garage” Youtube series, which is very intriguing.
However, they have continued to release videos for their “All Access” series, sharing behind-the-scenes videos following the Japanese Grand Prix
Technical Comms
Reports:
What: Written recaps of each day of a race weekend
Where: Website (and occasionally via email, but not consistently)
P9 - Stake F1 Kick Team Sauber (+1)
Overview
Just like their results on track, Stake F1 Kick Team Sauber have moved their way up my fan engagement ranking this month.
They’re producing good video content and writing race recaps, but they still don’t give fans an opportunity to receive any of it directly! I’m begging you, Sauber! Please create a proper newsletter!
Although, every time I look at their website I feel like docking them points - it’s a mess to navigate!
Newsletters sent: 3
Sales-specific newsletters: 3
Driver Videos
The best thing Sauber have going for them this year is the marketability of their drivers (and their fun colour scheme), so it’s good to see them leaning into this in video content (even if you have to go looking to find it).
Technical Comms
Previews:
What: Written previews of a race weekend
Where: Website
Reports:
What: Written recaps of each day of a race weekend
Where: Website
P10 - Alpine (-1)
Overview
Alpine, Alpine, Alpine. What the heck are you doing?? (Other than signing up to be sponsored by apecoin in the year of our lord 2024??). No newsletters, extremely inconsistent race recaps, and a team member describing a spin-to-win game as a way to test depth of fan engagement. If there was a ranking lower than P10, they’d be there.
A screenshot from public LinkedIn post from a member of their marketing team, highlighting is obviously my own, from when I shared it on Twitter
Newsletters sent: 0
Sales-specific newsletters: 0
Driver Videos
Race previews featuring the drivers doing simulator track laps.
Technical Comms
Recaps
What: Extremely inconsistent race previews and recaps. Suzuka featured no recaps, China had a recap for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, while Miami just got a Sunday write-up.
Where: Website
So there we go. We’re officially one-quarter of the way through the season!
I’ll be doing team-by-team deep dives into the content shared as we move throughout the season, as well as these overviews each month. Do let me know if there’s something you’d specifically like me to explore!
ps. A reminder that I’m currently running a fan engagement survey, and would love it if you took the time to take part!