LIGHTS OUT: A LOOK AT HOW F1 MARKED THE START OF THE SEASON
Last weekend marked the start of what is set up to be another exciting and drama-filled Formula 1 campaign.
With high-profile moves making headlines and the annual Drive to Survive season-opening release to whet the appetite for the fast and adrenaline-fuelled races to come, there was plenty of excitement ahead of the opening weekend in Bahrain as the sport welcomed back an ever-growing audience.
Since Liberty Media took ownership of F1 in 2017, they have looked to drive interest beyond the races: focusing on drivers’ personalities, educating and exciting new audiences, and showcasing the all-encompassing nature of the sport – and teams are certainly following suit.
While the season kicked off with very little change in terms of the dominant force on the track, teams up and down the grid used the season’s opening race to introduce new content, formats and ideas to their audiences.
The result? Over 900,000 new followers across the Instagram accounts of the ten teams as well as that of Formula 1 itself.
From a team account perspective, Scuderia Ferrari extended their lead at the top of the follower charts, adding almost 150,000 new fans on Instagram across the course of race week, while they also had the highest interaction rate (per follower) of 2.09%. On the back of their race win, Red Bull Racing saw the highest percentage growth, growing their following by 1.14% percent – just pipping Ferrari (1.08%).
Ferrari and Red Bull were just two of the teams who produced innovative opening-weekend content. Take a look at some of our favourite Instagram posts pieces from the Bahrain GP:
As the car to beat on the track, Red Bull’s content team also continues to challenge at the top of social content.
With the team having spent an entire year building a drone that can keep pace with their cars, they shared mesmerising footage of their testing day around Silverstone’s track.
Everyone likes something new, whether that’s a new driver, a new piece of technology or a new content format. Providing a viewpoint and creative concept that helps you stand out from the crowd – as we also saw with the Scottish rugby team recently – is a great way to engage and excite your audience.
Through a collaboration with the Red Bull account – with its 20 million followers – the video was seen more than eight million times.
Stylised and slick content are always king, especially in the world of F1. Aston Martin and Scuderia Ferrari shared brilliantly-creative hype videos ahead of the Bahrain GP, which introduced their cars and drivers in eye-catching edits.
When the leading comments implored teams to “give the editor a raise” you know they’ve done something right, and that’s what both of these pieces were able to do through slick transitions, multiple camera styles and impactful visual effects.
There’s a time and a place – but opening weekend of the season, when your fans and audience are full of expectation and excitement – is definitely a perfect time to drop this sort of content.
The importance of educating and informing your audience should never be forgotten – and that type of content doesn’t have to be dull or uninspiring.
Mercedes, one of the most-followed and well-known teams in the sport, produced some brilliant educational content that will have engaged and informed their audience – both new and old – about some of the intricacies of the sport.
Beyond who finishes the race first, F1 is full of complexities. Short, bitesize content provides an important educational angle for fans to get closer to the detail of the sport, all while making them feel more connected with the team.
While F1’s 20 drivers – and one or two of its team principals – make lots of the headlines, it cannot be understated the importance of the team behind the drivers.
Like with any sport, there’s a family feeling in a team environment – all pushing and striving to give everything you’ve got, while having fun doing it.
McLaren, who were the most active team on Instagram feed during race week, captured this nicely after the first race of the season, showcasing not only their two drivers, but those who worked in the garages throughout the weekend – and will continue to do so throughout the first-ever 24-race season.
This content provides fans with an understanding of the scale and magnitude of the work behind the scenes and how much each individual cares, bringing a human touch to the channels that can really impact fans’ perceptions of the team.
Ever wondered how a race photographer captures their drivers in action? Given the speed at which the cars are travelling, it’s an easy thing to ponder.
In recent weeks, we’ve seen football and rugby accounts show fans what it’s like to capture the sport – and Scuderia Ferrari were quick to tap into the social trend this weekend with a brilliant point-of-view style piece through the eyes of their team photographer.
Not only does the content provide insight into how motorsport photography happens, it also gives audiences a fresh perspective on the imagery that’s been captured across the course of a race.
But the perspective doesn’t just work from a photography point of view. McLaren and Red Bull Racing both took fans into the heart of a pit-stop, providing a unique and up-close view of the action – and a piece of content they can truly own, away from the broadcast cameras.
As we head to Saudi Arabia for the second race of the season this weekend, we’re looking forward to seeing how F1 and its teams continue to excite and educate their audiences – both new and current – across their social footprint.