Scuderia Ferrari has agreed on a multi-year deal that will see IBM become the Formula 1 team’s fan engagement and data analytics partner. The agreement will run from next season and, initially, will see the technology company producing a new mobile app for fans and race lovers. The app will work with Ferrari’s race and historical data to provide a customized experience for its users. Ferrari hopes that the deal and subsequent new technologies will help bring them closer to fans.
Formula 1 is a popular sport for spectators and with bettors. Especially as this season, which looked a foregone conclusion a few weeks ago, has ended up a lot closer than expected. As well as being a popular sport to bet on at the track, F1 is popular on betting sites without verification thanks to the sport’s natural variety of betting options, and the anonymity afforded by no-verification betting sites. Crypto author Tim points out that no-verification betting sites offer convenience as well as anonymity for bettors.
Ferrari is a fan favourite with race lovers and has been since the start of the millennia, thanks to Schumacher’s dominance at the time. Despite that dominance, however, they haven’t won the championship since 2008 when Kimi Raikkonen helped them secure the top spot.
Ferrari currently sits second in the constructors’ championship. At 557 points, they are 36 points behind leaders McLaren, despite their racers, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr sitting in 3rd and 5th in the drivers’ championship, respectively. McLaren is 1/6 to retain the top spot until the end of the season, with Ferrari second favourite with odds of 4/1 at betting sites without verification.
Despite their drop off in form over the past two decades, Ferrari remains a popular bet with the bookies. With just 3 races to go, and 36 points adrift of the leaders, McLaren, bettors can get odds of 4/1 on them overturning the lead and taking the championship. Las Vegas is the next race in the series, and punters can see odds of 3/1 on Charles Leclerc and 6/1 on Carlos Sainz, Ferrari’s drivers.
This season has been another challenging one for Scuderia Ferrari. Red Bull’s Verstappen won 7 of the first 10 races, giving him a seemingly unassailable lead. Sergio Perez’s finishes, as Red Bull’s second driver, helped propel the team to the head of the drivers’ championship very early in the campaign.
However, even during this time, Leclerc and Sainz posted many podium finishes, and won both races in October, with a victory for each driver. Neither driver got on the podium in Brazil, however, and with just three races left, it looks highly likely that Verstappen will take his fourth consecutive driver’s championship with Red Bull taking its third straight victory.
In a bid to try and further improve their relationship with race viewers, the Italian manufacturer has signed a deal with IBM. The deal will see IBM act as data analysts in a bid to improve fan engagement. Initially, this will see a new mobile betting app introduced. The app will be downloadable by fans and will offer commentary and analysis of races, as well as historical data and more. It is unclear whether the app will be free or whether it will have a paid area that offers more in-depth statistics.
This isn’t IBM’s first foray into sports apps. The giant has worked with Wimbledon as well as the US Open and Masters Tournament and they have helped develop ESPN Fantasy Football. Most recently, the ESPN Fantasy Football app has incorporated AI into its data analysis techniques. The app is expected to launch a new Contributing Factors feature this season, offering further AI interaction.
Ferrari has also recently announced a new partnership with Chivas Regal, the luxury whiskey company. Chivas Regal becomes an Official Team Partner and will use activations to help promote its brand to a new audience while also highlighting the potential dangers of drunk driving. Ferrari will also hope to expand its reach to a new crowd of potential fans. Chivas Regal has also recently partnered with Premier League teams Arsenal and Manchester United.
Williams Racing has announced a new partnership of its own, having signed a deal with ride-hailing organisation Zoox. Zoox, which is a part of the Amazon group, will have its logo displayed on the Williams car and its robotaxi will be present at the Las Vegas Fan Zone throughout the race week. They will go on to feature at events in cities where their autonomous ride technology is currently being tested – Las Vegas, Austin, and Miami.
Formula 1’s next race takes place in Las Vegas on 24 November before heading to Qatar for the penultimate competition and, finally, to Abu Dhabi for the last weekend of the season.
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