As the world’s premier all-electric racing series, Formula E is in a situation where it must engage the young fans who go on to drive the technology it pioneers. With companies like Tesla (Model S), Nissan (Leaf), Chevrolet (Bolt) and BMW (i3) putting close to 400,000 electric cars on the road between 2010 and 2015, electric vehicles are starting to make some headway. Some racing purists see Formula E as a half-baked idea, considering drivers have to swap cars halfway through the race to get a fresh battery. However, this fledgling racing category is constantly evolving. From the outset, the series has had a unique approach in appealing to younger audiences. “The younger generation is critical to Formula E’s success moving forwards,” says Tom Halls, manager of the series’ digital aspects. “The challenge is to continue to remain relevant to them whilst servicing traditional motorsports fans. FanBoost and Snapchat are great examples of us servicing the younger audience.” FanBoost was brought in to appeal to Twitter users hoping to make a difference to their favorite drivers. FanBoost gives viewers the opportunity to engage with the sport on a more-than-superficial level. The three drivers with the most votes get the equivalent of a push-to-pass during the race. “This is a generation born in the mobile era,” Halls says. “If you look at voting behavior, you’ll see that most do so purely on mobile. Social media voting is a great way to connect with the younger audience. That said, everyone’s becoming more mobile, not just the younger demographic. Social Media provides a more convenient way to vote.” As well as fan engagement, to get younger fans excited the sport has also embraced gaming, starting with the Formula E RaceOff, held in London earlier this season. The event brought Nicolas Prost and Bruno Senna to a gaming arena, allowing fans to meet and digitally race against two of the sport’s fastest drivers. The event inspired the eSports Pro Series and the eRace. The former is a series where nine Formula E drivers and one fan are pitted against one another live at race weekends. The latter allows fans to compete with one another on Forza Motorsport 6, with prizes on offer for winners. “Gaming, behind motorsports and technology, is a huge passion for the younger fans,” says Halls. “The eRace plays a strong part in our digital landscape. For a lot of new fans, the eRace and our simulators provide the first experience of our cars and the Championship, but in an interactive fashion they’re familiar with.”

Ed note: Author Charlie Eustice, 22, is a recent graduate of the University of Brighton in south England. He has loved F1 since age 4 but still hasn’t had a driving lesson.

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