- Stats show only 1 in 4 feel that motorsport teams do enough for fans.
- The survey is part of VELO's Love The Unexpected campaign, centred on enhancing motorsport fans' experiences with weird and wonderful activities.
- This is one way both VELO and the McLaren F1 team are showing their commitment to putting fans first, by understanding what drives them, and by rewarding their dedication, which includes an exclusive reveal at the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix.
LONDON, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, VELO releases the findings of its global motorsport fan survey, revealing that only a quarter (25 per cent) of fans think motorsport teams do enough for their supporters. In true Love The Unexpected style, VELO, through its partnership with the McLaren F1 Team, is getting to the heart of fan opinion to find out what they really want. What better way to put fans at the centre than by asking them to buckle up and take pole position, with an exclusive reveal on the MCL60 car at Zandvoort.
With a wave of new motorsport fans joining the community, it's no surprise that fans are reaching out for more events and activities [38 per cent] and behind-the-scenes content [30 per cent]. Brazil tops the leader board with over half of fans [56 per cent] wanting more surprising ways to get involved, closely followed by Spain [47 per cent] and Italy [44 per cent]. The fan community really sits at the heart of the sport, with 21 per cent reporting their favourite part of the F1 community is the shared passion for motorsport, with 17 per cent enjoying the sense of team spirit.
It's not just about the fun and excitement though. Fans also care deeply about bigger issues, such as diversity and inclusion. Almost half of fans [49 per cent] feel they are well-represented within motorsport, and 60 per cent of fans agree there is greater diversity in the industry, specifically Formula 1, compared to 10 years ago. But there is still work to be done, with 1 in 4 women saying they don't feel part of the motorsport community, and fans from Japan [33 per cent], France [20 per cent] and Brazil [19 per cent] saying they are represented the least. This survey aims to shine a spotlight on what fans care about, and VELO and McLaren are keen to flip the script by listening to and actioning what fans want.
The survey of 16,000 motorsport fans is part of VELO's Love The Unexpected campaign, which puts fans in the driving seat, giving them new and wonderful ways to enjoy the sport they love, on their terms. This year, VELO, and its partner, the McLaren F1 Team, continue to host fan activities across UK, Austria and the Czech Republic, surprising fans with unexpected activities and more ways to experience the action. From challenging fans to race in car simulators, to experiencing the iconic British race up close in a People's Paddock pop-up, to getting behind the scenes at the McLaren Technology Centre – VELO is showing fans the love!
John Beasley, Global Director of Consumer Experience at BAT, comments: "VELO's Love The Unexpected project is about listening to the fans and following their lead, whichever surprising and unexpected direction they take us. The fan survey results were eye-opening and told us that they want something different, and we embrace different. We're flipping the lid on tradition and offering fans new and unexpected experiences, culminating at the Dutch Grand Prix. Some of the things we do might be ridiculous, but sometimes the wonderful, starts off a little weird."
To celebrate the McLaren F1 Team's 60th anniversary, 60-fan-names will be placed on the MCL60 car at the Dutch Grand Prix creating the word LOVE. There will be an added extra for one lucky fan, who will win flights and accommodation to the Netherlands for an exclusive experience to see their name on the car, in person.
Louise McEwen, Executive Director, Brand and Marketing, McLaren Racing, comments: "We are always looking for ways to excite and engage our global and ever-growing fanbase. VELO is alongside us in this mission, and we are excited for fans to engage with racing in new and unexpected ways. This includes our fan name feature on the MCL60 at Zandvoort, which is a great way to champion and celebrate some of our dedicated supporters, and McLaren Racing's 60th birthday."
VELO Love The Unexpected is all about shining a spotlight and celebrating motorsport fans and their unexpected stories. Tapping into the constantly changing face of motorsport fandom, VELO and the McLaren F1 Team are championing the love and passion fans have for the sport across the globe.
Discover more about Love The Unexpected, People's Paddock events and fan love stories on VELO's Instagram and McLaren's Instagram.
VELO commissioned OnePoll to carry out this fan research survey. OnePoll is an MRS Company Partner. All MRS Company Partners and their employees agree to adhere to the MRS Code of Conduct and MRS Company Partner Quality Commitment whilst undertaking research. The survey was carried out from 24th May to 1st June 2023 and was completed by 16,000 people across the UK, US, Brazil, Japan, Sweden, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands.
About BAT
BAT is a leading, multi-category consumer goods business with a purpose to build A Better Tomorrow™ by reducing the health impact of its business through offering a greater choice of enjoyable and less risky products for adult consumers.
The company continues to be clear that combustible cigarettes pose serious health risks, and the only way to avoid these risks is not to start or to quit. BAT encourages those who would otherwise continue to smoke to switch completely to scientifically-substantiated, reduced-risk alternatives*†. In order to deliver this, BAT is transforming into a truly consumer-centric multi-category consumer products business.
BAT's ambition is to have 50 million consumers of its non-combustible products by 2030 and to generate £5billion of New Categories revenue by 2025. BAT has set stretching ESG targets including achieving carbon neutrality for Scopes 1 & 2 by 2030 and eliminating unnecessary single-use plastic and making all plastic packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.
BAT employs over 50,000 people. The BAT Group generated revenue of £27.65 billion in 2022 and profit from operations of £10.5 billion.
The company's Strategic Portfolio is made up of its global cigarette brands and a growing range of reduced-risk*† New Category tobacco and nicotine products and traditional non-combustible tobacco products. These include vapour, tobacco heating products, modern oral products including tobacco-free nicotine pouches, as well as traditional oral products such as snus and moist snuff. In 2022, we had 22.5 million consumers of our non-combustible products, a rise of 4.2 million on full year 2021.
* Based on the weight of evidence and assuming a complete switch from cigarette smoking. These products are not risk free and are addictive.
† Our products as sold in the US, including Vuse, Velo, Grizzly, Kodiak, and Camel Snus, are subject to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation and no reduced-risk claims will be made as to these products without FDA clearance.
Forward-looking statements
This release contains certain forward-looking statements, including "forward-looking" statements made within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as "believe," "anticipate," "could," "may," "would," "should," "intend," "plan," "potential," "predict," "will," "expect," "estimate," "project," "positioned," "strategy," "outlook", "target" and similar expressions. These include statements regarding our customer target ambition, New Categories revenue targets and our ESG targets.
All such forward-looking statements involve estimates and assumptions that are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors. It is believed that the expectations reflected in this release are reasonable but they may be affected by a wide range of variables that could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated. A review of the reasons why actual results and developments may differ materially from the expectations disclosed or implied within forward-looking statements can be found by referring to the information contained under the headings "Cautionary Statement" and "Group Principal Risks " in the 2021 Annual Report and Form 20-F of British American Tobacco p.l.c. (BAT).
Additional information concerning these and other factors can be found in BAT's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including the Annual Report on Form 20-F and Current Reports on Form 6-K, which may be obtained free of charge at the SEC's website, http://www.sec.gov and BAT's Annual Reports, which may be obtained free of charge from the BAT website www.bat.com.
Past performance is no guide to future performance and persons needing advice should consult an independent financial adviser. The forward-looking statements reflect knowledge and information available at the date of preparation of this release and BAT undertakes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.
About McLaren Racing
McLaren Racing was founded by racing driver Bruce McLaren 60 years ago in 1963. The team entered its first Formula 1 race in 1966. McLaren has since won 20 Formula 1 world championships, 183 Formula 1 grands prix, the Indianapolis 500 three times, and the Le Mans 24 Hours at its first attempt.
McLaren Racing competes across five racing series. In 2023, the team will compete in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship with McLaren F1 drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES with Arrow McLaren drivers Pato O'Ward, Felix Rosenqvist and Alexander Rossi, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship with NEOM McLaren Formula E Team drivers René Rast and Jake Hughes, and the Extreme E Championship with NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team drivers Emma Gilmour and Tanner Foust. The team also competes in the F1 Esports Pro Championship as McLaren Shadow, having won the 2022 Constructors' and Drivers' Championships.
McLaren is a champion for sustainability in the sport and a signatory to the UN Sports for Climate Action Commitment. It is committed to achieving net zero by 2040 and fostering a diverse and inclusive culture in the motorsport industry.
McLaren Racing – Official Website
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