Officially, China no longer has a contract with F1 since the current contract expired with the 2017 edition. However, the Chinese market is far too important for F1 to consider leaving it.<\/p>\n
If no extension has yet been announced, Liberty Media’s decision to partner with Lagard\u00e8re Sports for this market is a clear sign, as shown by the statements of Sean Bratches, the F1 Managing Director: \u00ab In the entire region, Formula 1 fans have proven to be among the most passionate, with 8.8 million people attending a race weekend since 2004. We want to build on that and develop our brand through unique live entertainment experiences to bring fans closer to the action. \u00bb<\/p>\n
This figure of 8.8 million viewers should be taken with a grain of salt as it represents the combined audience from races in China as well as in Malaysia, Japan, and Singapore.<\/p>\n
But the essential lies elsewhere since the important thing is the new dynamic established by the new leaders. They will therefore rely on specialists in promotion in China, as explained by Andrew Georgiou, CEO of Lagard\u00e8re Sports and Entertainment: \u00ab Sports fans in the country, as well as media platforms and sponsors, crave premium, local, and live sports, enriched by quality digital content and strong interactions with fans. Through this new partnership, we will work with Formula 1 to develop premium local content for the Chinese market, so that the sport interacts more with fans and becomes an integral part of Chinese sports culture. \u00bb<\/p>\n
It will be interesting to see what the variations will be and if there are plans to extend it to the rest of the countries.<\/p>\n