Rumors have entered the media suggesting that Formula One’s new owners, Liberty Media, are considering organizing a car launch event for 2018 rather than having the teams reveal the cars on different dates and through different mediums. Just in the idea stages, but a spectacular idea it is.
Reports suggest that the event would be free for fans to attend and would be streamed online and on TV services such as Sky Sports F1. Making the event free to attend would show that Liberty Media is taking a step in the right direction to transform F1 from a way to pump every last dollar out of the brand to a sport for the fans.
The pre-season is always full of confusion as to when the new cars will be revealed and how you can see the launch. Some teams opt for a traditional event while others opt for a social media or online streaming reveal. And then there are those that “leak” photos of their new car to the media (Williams) and those that just wait until the first or sometimes the second pre-season test because the car isn’t quite ready yet.
An organized car launch event would help offset the cost of the car launch events for the teams and would gain far more media exposure. However, there are some issues.
The primary issue would be finding a good location. The ideal place would be somewhere in the UK, but that wouldn’t be ideal for a team like Ferrari with their strong Italian fanbase. Another issue would be getting all of the teams to agree on a date. Some teams like Sauber, whose development is often delayed due to financial issues, may not a have a car ready for the event, forcing them to miss out on the publicity.
However, despite the drawbacks, some form of organized car launch event would be a great idea for the sport. It likely won’t happen though. The truth is, it’s not a unique idea. In fact, it was suggested a few years ago, but turned down by the teams.
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