Lewis Hamilton driving the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes WO9 on track during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit on Nov. 25, 2018. (Photo by Charles Coates/Getty Images)
Formula One racing has announced a partnership with virtual reality provider The Dream VR to build a new 360-degree Formula One virtual reality channel inside the company’s platform. The channel will utilize 360-degree VR to provide fans with immersive views of various on-site locations during live races.
Upon initial launch of F1’s channel, users will experience behind-the-scenes footage of Lewis Hamilton winning the 2018 Mexican Grand Prix, which took place in October. Additional content from the final few races of the 2018 season will also be provided, including material from the season-finale Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. For the 2019 season, the channel will expand to include VR-enabled content from 10 races.
“Formula One is a sport in which the details make the difference: what could be better than offering its fans a chance to experience the races up close, right beside the Paddock Club, in the team garages, and having the independence to decide when and what to see?” said Albert Goma, F1’s manager of digital licensing and partnerships, in a press release.
The Dream VR claims its app currently has over three million users. In March, Real Madrid also launched a 360-degree VR channel using The Dream VR platform. The app can be accessed through mobile (iOS and Android), smart TVs (Apple TV and Samsung Smart TV), and VR headsets (Oculus and Google Daydream). Formula 1’s new channel will launch before Christmas and be available for download in more than 180 countries.
SportTechie Takeaway
F1 made just $10 million in digital revenue during the 2017 season, and is working to make major improvements to its digital offerings. Within the past year, the league experienced technical troubles with its streaming service and was forced to re-launch its official live timing app, according to Autosport. Through integration with The Dream VR and other initiatives such as the addition of in-race betting sponsorships, Formula 1 may have better luck at achieving higher revenue goals in 2019.
