Driving Tomorrow by Santander: Ariana Bravo on the growth of F1 and the future of fan engagement

Ariana Bravo is one of the faces of Formula 1 broadcasting through her roles with F1 TV, Track TV, and at the Fan Forum at Grands Prix throughout the course of each season. As part of Santander’s Driving Tomorrow series, Bravo discusses the growth of Formula 1, the evolution of the fanbase, and her hopes for the next phase of the championship’s development when it comes to viewer and spectator engagement.

If you’re among the increasing number of fans who have attended a Grand Prix in recent years the chances are you’ve seen and heard Ariana in her element.

That may be interviewing drivers, speaking to paddock personalities, or engaging with those who have flocked to the Fan Forum at each event. It is that directness and closeness with Formula 1’s expanding fanbase that has enabled her to be a first-hand witness to the championship’s evolution.

“The sport has changed in so many different ways,” Bravo says. “We are no longer just all about racing: we're now an entertainment spectacle that travels all around the globe.

“It’s so exciting to see from my perspective, because we see it reflected in the fans that come to the race tracks. The demographics have completely changed, we see Formula 1 overflowing into everyday life, and the fans love it – and they’ve all got a place to belong within Formula 1.”

That sense of belonging has been cultivated and grown across recent years, after particular efforts were made in promoting Formula 1 beyond just the spectacle of the racing action.

The championship now reaches more fans than ever before, with 827 million worldwide, which is a year-on-year increase of 12 per cent and a gain of 63 per cent since 2018 – and part of that growth has been driven by delving deeper into the inner workings of the sport.

“The great thing about Formula 1 is that we are able to offer something for everyone – we have world class racing from 20 of the best drivers in the world,” Bravo says.

“But along with those 20 drivers you get 20 different personalities, and these drivers all bring their own flair to the sport, which allows all of our fans to identify with a different person.”

A prime example of that came at the Fan Forum at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, where Franco Colapinto disguised himself as a security guard, before revealing his true self to the surprised fans.

“In my role as a presenter, I have the honour of bridging the gap between the sport and the fans,” Bravo says.

“We do that in so many different ways: we have our traditional broadcast offering, F1TV, and then we have our Fan Forum interviews, where we bring the drivers out in front of thousands of people and really showcase the more fun and light-hearted side, letting them see behind the visor. Then we have these glamorous events like F175 as well.”

Formula 1’s ever-growing popularity has led the sport to welcome a younger and more diverse audience, with 43%now under the age of 35, and female fans now accounting for 42% of the fanbase.

“It has been so special to see,” Bravo says. “Of course we value our hardcore long-term fans but this huge influx of young fans has brought this fresh energy to our sport.

“From my perspective, when I'm on the stage and when I look out at the crowd, it's amazing. There are fans of all ages there. We've got families, we've got little kids on parents’ shoulders in their little merchandise supporting their drivers, and there’s also so many women in the crowd now as well.

“Obviously to me that is something really important because I want our sport to feel as accessible as possible, and that is where it feels like we're at right now. When I look out from the stage, I can see people from so many different backgrounds – not every sport has that.”

As Bravo alluded to, there has been a growth of female fans in Formula 1, as well as more women working across different departments within the paddock.

“We have so many different initiatives to support young women who are interested in getting into the driving seat or into these engineering roles,” Bravo says.

“We have F1 ACADEMY, which of course does a fantastic job on the ladder up to Formula 1, and I have no doubt [a female Formula 1 racer] will happen. It won't happen overnight, but it will happen in time and I think it's beyond just what we see on track as well.

It's the roles behind the scenes that we already see a lot of women in today, but I think that will continue to grow, and I think it inspires a lot of the younger women that follow our sport on TV at the moment, that there is definitely a place for them, and I'm very proud to be part of a sport where that exists.”

Through her role immersed in the world of broadcasting Bravo has been able to track not just the changes to Formula 1’s fanbase, but also the evolution in how the product is conveyed to fans around the world.

“There has always been this element of technology, but over recent years we've really seen that develop and we've been able to now use it in a way that brings fans closer to the action,” Bravo explains.

“On our broadcast on F1 TV we're able to introduce all these different insights that help the fans at home really understand what is happening on track and understand the story of the racing. That’s really important – especially if you're a new fan and you’re maybe not as familiar with all of the complexities of Formula 1.

“Technology helps you bring it closer, and it is fantastic to see how we're able to use it on the broadcast, whether it's graphics that we're putting up and different things such as ghost cars, all of these different elements bring Formula 1 to life.”

But as fan habits evolve Formula 1 is striving to stay ahead of the curve, tapping into new markets and outlets, in order to strengthen that connection.

“I think engagement is going to continue to grow,” Bravo reckons. “I think we're on an upward trajectory that hopefully is only going to continue.

“I really look forward to seeing and welcoming the younger fans who are just now tapping into Formula 1, and keeping them with us as they grow older and their interests change, their driver alliances change and things like that.

“I think it's going to be really fantastic to see how we're able to keep them engaged, and also how we can keep reinventing ourselves to make sure that we are staying in touch with what the audience wants, and how that changes, especially when it comes to aspects such as social media.

“I think we're going to keep on growing and I can't wait to be part of it.”