Sean Bratches confirms more F1 demo events for 2018

Sean Bratches has confirmed that more F1 live events will take place in 2018. Last year, every team and driver except Lewis Hamilton attended a demonstration of F1 cars in London. Bratches, the sport's new commercial chief, said big PR events like that are "very important".

"The next events of this kind will not be quite that big," he told Auto Motor und Sport. "We're planning something similar in Marseille, Berlin, Milan, Shanghai and Miami, but not with so many cars," Bratches revealed.

"But we do believe that this contact with the audience outside the race track is important. It carries our message to people we would not otherwise reach. Formula one has been so exclusive over the years that it was only accessible to interested people. The same applies to sponsors. There is a lot of interest from companies that are not yet in F1," he added.

However, some teams are resistant to some of the changes planned by Liberty Media, particularly if they cost money and therefore reduce the income 'pot'.

Bratches responded: "If there is a business that has been as poorly marketed as formula one, then everyone understands that first of all you have to invest. There was previously no department for sponsors, digital platforms, marketing, communication, the rules. Setting this up will pay off one day to the extent that everyone will appreciate the investments," he said. (GMM)