In recent years, Formula 1 has faced the harsh challenge of trying to engage a young audience. Due to the high prices of the events themselves, and the general barrier of interacting with the series, F1 can often feel like it’s in a world of its own. However, Toro Rosso boss Franz Tost believes that there is an answer for developing the relationship between the younger generation and the historic motorsport—and it involves the world of eSports.
As per a report by Autosport, Tost comments on methods that Formula 1 could utilize to increase its presence outside of the actual race each weekend. We’ve seen such inventions as
“double points” for the final race of the season and Sunday morning warm-ups but the Toro Rosso chief believes that a similar initiative to that of Formula E would be beneficial for the sport.
Formula E has embraced the rising popularity of racing simulators and their value as a spectator sport. This month, professional racing and eSports drivers alike took to Las Vegas in order to duke it out for $1,000,000 in prize money in front of a live worldwide audience. Tost has a similar vision:
“Why not have on Sunday morning, an eGame with a big broadcast where people worldwide are involved to increase the interest? The eGame would work simply in that there’s a game and companies would be involved and say look … young people are not so much interested in cars and we must see a way to bring them into Formula 1.”
It’s an interesting idea and one that would be sure to gain some publicity. Formula E’s success so far has been by virtue of its willingness to take on new ideas and try to implement them. Although controversial features like the “FanBoost”—where drivers can get a boost if they’re generating social media buzz—may have a mixed reception, it certainly contrasts F1’s archaic approach to modernizing the “show” around the motorsport.
Tost’s idea does check out from a conceptual point of view. There’s no doubt that it could tap into a younger audience obsessed with gaming services like Twitch, and an increasingly large number of gamers getting into racing sims like Assetto Corsa (which coincidentally received a selection of F1 cars recently). The time is definitely right for trying to incorporate a digital element to F1.
eSports would certainly seem to be on the radar of those at the head of Formula 1, as Tost’s idea correlates closely to comments made by the Chief Technical Officer in recent months about real-time simulation racing.
In the eyes of some, the struggle faced by F1 to attract a new audience has been partly down to out-of-touch management. Bernie Ecclestone once infamously claimed in 2014 that a new generation of fans aren’t needed because they don’t suit the demographic sponsors are aiming for. With news just breaking that Ecclestone has been replaced by Chase Carey, perhaps the vision Tost has may not be too far behind either.
There’s plenty of discussion points to be had: is Codemasters’ F1 series suited to the task? Could GT Sport’s long-gestating FIA Partnership factor in? If F1 drivers were to take part in the same way Formula E drivers did in Vegas, would drivers like Lewis Hamilton—who once stated the simulators teams use are no better than video games use for learning tracks—even want to compete?
Given the varying success levels of Formula E’s eSports venture, how do you feel about F1 potentially bringing in some simulation racing as part of its race weekend?
