Formula1® in 2017 Global fan insight into the world’s largest annual sporting series (2005–2017) The Fans’ Report May 2017 1 With Thanks: Fernando Alonso, ABT Formula E Team, James Allen, Matt Bishop, Matteo Bonciani, Valtteri Bottas, Rachel Brookes, Jenson Button, Will Buxton, Peter Dumbreck, Luca Filippi, Olivier Fisch, Dario Franchitti, Romain Grosjean, Lewis Hamilton, Maurice Hamilton, Rio Haryanto, Marc Hynes, Bradley Lord, Mahindra Racing, Felipe Massa, McLaren F1, Mercedes AMG F1, Nelson Piquet Jnr, Pirelli Motorsport, Sophie Ogg, Renault Sport F1, Nico Rosberg, Carlos Sainz Jr, Gordon Shedden, Petter Solberg, Jason Swales, Nick Tandy, Darren Turner, Stoffel Vandoorne, Williams Racing, Alex Wurz and the 215,892 fans worldwide who provided their insight and opinion. Technical Creation & Delivery: Chad Janssen, Pavel Morgun, Oleg Safronov Marketing: Fiona Bain, Sunita Davies, Valeria Efimenko, John Nguyen, Maria Olivo, Pavel Surdin Filipp Tur, Stuart Williams Editor: Charles Bradley Imagery: All LAT Images exc. Page 5 FIA Project Management: MPA Commercial Author: Ian Burrows Report Design: Nathan Crosbie Formula One, F1 and FORMULA 1 and related marks are trademarks of Formula One Licensing BV, a Formula One Group company and are used under licence. Global F1 Fan Survey 2017 | Contents Contents Foreword 04 Jean Todt, President, Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile Executive Summary 06 Charles Bradley, Global Editor in Chief, Motorsport Network Methodology 08 Nigel Geach, SVP Motorsport, Nielsen Sports Who Took Part? 10 Charles Bradley, Global Editor in Chief, Motorsport Network The Health of F1 in 2017 14 Jonathan Noble, Group F1 Editor, Motorsport Network The F1 Season – Races and Ticket Pricing 18 Damien Smith, European Editor in Chief, Motorsport Network How You Follow F1 – The Media 24 Anthony Rowlinson, Editorial Director, Motorsport Network The F1 Teams & Drivers 30 Edd Straw, Editor in Chief, Autosport Your Views on Future Changes 36 Stuart Codling, Executive Editor, Motorsport Network F1 Merchandise and Gaming 40 Ben Anderson, Grand Prix Editor, Autosport 2017 Survey Key Statistics 46 Supplied by Index of Charts 48 3 Global F1 Fan Survey 2017 | Foreword Foreword Jean Todt President, Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile Dear friends, Formula One is a sport that incites deep The second point the survey reveals to me passions – in its heroic drivers, in the is a general air of optimism about Formula teams and their extraordinary engineering One’s future. Again, this is very gratifying expertise and in the selfless commitment to note. of the volunteers and officials who ensure fairness and safety at motor sport events Our sport is an enormously complex and around the world. However, for me, it is costly endeavour. These two aspects often the passion of F1’s fans that is often most create barriers to competition and the FIA, inspiring aspect of our sport. in concert with the sport’s stakeholders, has been at the forefront of trying to create Formula One’s fans are among the most fair and open competition. This is chiefly knowledgeable in all sport and their achieved by trying to reduce the cost of strong commitment to F1 is revealed in competition, which is still far too high. the survey you hold in your hands. It is a We have made significant progress in this document that not only reveals a thorough area but there is more to do if we are to understanding of our sport but also a deep build a sustainable and more competitively desire for it to continue to set the pace in equitable Formula One. terms of technology and on-track drama. It also reveals a number of important facts. I believe we are now in the best possible position to meet that challenge. We have Firstly, it samples a comparatively young seen significant positive change in recent demographic and the fact that Formula months and working in close collaboration One continues to attract new fans is with Formula One’s new commercial rights enormously encouraging. In recent years holders and the sport’s teams I believe the FIA has expended a huge amount of we now have a greater opportunity than effort in constructing a clear pathway to ever to build a competitive, sustainable the top levels of motorsport. This been championship and, most importantly, to achieved through the establishment deliver thrilling Formula One action to the of Formula 3 and Formula 4, and most most important constituency of all – its recently, Formula 2. However, the process fans. of building the next generation of stars only works if the end point is something to truly aspire to. A vibrant Formula One championship is essential in providing that inspiration. 4 Global F1 Fan Survey 2017 | Foreword 5 Global F1 Fan Survey 2017 | Executive Summary Executive Summary Written by: Charles Bradley Global Editor in Chief, Motorsport Network In 2017, we are delighted to report that your feedback shows a dramatic improvement in your satisfaction with F1. You have shown us, in record numbers, that there is a wave of renewed optimism for the direction the sport is heading. In 2015, our Study with the Grand Prix implemented by the FIA and have rightly Drivers’ Association – you recorded record positioned drivers back at the heart of an levels of dissatisfaction and disaffection. increasingly physically-demanding sport. You placed negative statements like While you tell us that you love Formula 1 as boring, corrupt and threatened high up in a sport first; your support of Ferrari as F1’s your list of F1 descriptions and less than favourite team has grown around the world 7% of you viewed the sport as being in since 2015. Its support is now more than better health than five years previously, and twice that of your second favourite team, you told us that F1’s status as the perceived Mercedes AMG F1. pinnacle of motorsport had fallen to an all- time low. In terms of the drivers both Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso have enjoyed strong Your feedback has shown that Formula 1 increases in popularity since 2015 and you is an increasingly media-reliant sport and now see them as clearly F1’s two most while you are prepared to pay nearly 10% popular stars – despite Fernando’s difficult more to go to races less than a quarter of time on-track over the past 2 years. you have attended a race in the past year. Once again in 2017 you have shown us that While you believed that F1 had great you are purists, who love real racing and foundations on which to build; the sport that you don’t want gimmicks like sprinkler needed to make changes. Your feedback systems, reverse grids, success ballast nor this year shows that F1 is heading in the rapidly-degrading tyres to artificially spice right direction, but there is still work to do up racing. But you do want F1’s rule-makers to satisfy how, when and how much F1 you to reconsider a return to tyre competition, consume. Specifically, you have told us that in-race refueling, the return of V8 engines, F1 needs to consider the impact of Pay TV the introduction of a team budget cap and F1 coverage on your ability to follow the allowing independent teams to buy and sport you love. run customer cars. You have told us clearly that you want to In summary, the feedback of your opinions watch Formula 1 live in all its glory via is simple… television or online streaming. The latter is clearly a big opportunity for F1 to increase You want exciting racing among the best the number of you viewing great racing. drivers, in the fastest, most advanced cars at the best circuits delivered Between 2015 and 2017 many more of you live and uninterrupted via free-to-air believe that F1 has returned to its place as television or online streaming, 20 times the pinnacle of motorsport, it features the a year. world’s best drivers competing in the most advanced machinery. The changes you demanded in 2015 have been heard and 6 Global F1 Fan Survey 2017 | Executive Summary 7 Global F1 Fan Survey 2017 | Methodology Methodology Written by: Nigel Geach SVP Motorsport, Nielsen Sports Nielsen Sports is delighted to have once again worked with Motorsport.com in engaging with Formula 1 fans and providing a platform for them to make their views heard. The fans are a key part of what makes in 2015, this latest report represents the F1 so special, and understanding their most comprehensive global survey ever perspectives is crucial in helping to shape conducted among F1 fans. the future of the sport. The value of engaging and listening to The 2017 Global F1 Fan Survey was your fans is evident through this process created and translated into 15 languages with the considerable positive shifts in and hosted via a common, multi-lingual perception the sport seen since 2015, with website at www.f1survey.motorsport.com. the fans’ voice being heard, actions taken Over 215,000 fans, from over 190 countries and positive change recognized. Being shared their feedback over a 19-day period able to leverage the views of F1 fans again following the launch at the season-opening in 2017 can only serve to strengthen the Australian GP. sport even further moving forward. The willingness of the sport to open itself up to the views of its fans and their willingness to engage and respond is unique in terms of both scale and frequency. Capturing feedback from such a large and diverse fan base, for the second time in less than three years, is true testament to the sport and its willingness to put the fans at the heart of future development.