In 2018, F1 organized its first festival in Miami, alongside the Austin Grand Prix. The goal was to be visible in a city that the sport’s owners wished to entice and convince to host a Grand Prix in its streets.<\/p>\n
Building on this success, Liberty Media has decided to renew the experience this season, as explained by Sean Bratches, the director: “We are committed to enhancing the experience of F1 fans and exploring new ways to engage with the sport’s enthusiasts. We are convinced that it is vital to bring F1 into the cities so that fans can immerse themselves in the race day atmosphere.”<\/p>\n
Unsurprisingly, the first event will take place in two weeks, in China, during the Shanghai Grand Prix. This race is symbolic in more ways than one. The Middle Kingdom is a vital market for the appeal of the discipline and for global brands wishing to be visible there. This is why China was chosen to host the 1000th race in F1 history.<\/p>\n
The local anchoring will be highlighted by a demonstration performed by local driver Guanyu Zhou, who entered Renault’s development orbit this winter. He will take the wheel of the E20, which Lotus raced in 2012. It is also planned that Sauber will be present through stunt driver Jessica Hawkins.<\/p>\n
The United States is the other aspect of F1’s commercial development. That’s why two American events have been announced, both on the West Coast, in Los Angeles, and in the Midwest, in Chicago. It will be interesting to see when these cities will host this festival since there is only one Grand Prix scheduled in the United States.<\/p>\n
These four stages will each be commercially supported by Heineken, which thereby gains significant visibility in world-renowned cities. The beer brand is already the title sponsor of the Chinese Grand Prix.<\/p>\n