[mkdf_dropcaps type=”normal” color=”#f55549″ background_color=””]F[/mkdf_dropcaps]
ormula One (F1) has held their first ever live race broadcast on YouTube, attracting a total viewership of 1.7 million for the Eiffel Grand Prix.

The event was streamed via the Global Motorsport Series’ official YouTube channel in Sweden, Norway, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Denmark.

Figures indicated that 31% of viewers were below the age of 25, and 68% were younger than 35.

F1 data showed that 33% of viewers streamed the race via a mobile phone, and 30% watched through a television.

The number of unique viewers on YouTube content, including non-race related content ahead of the Grand Prix in Germany, doubled since the previous year; reaching 10.5 million.

500,000 new fans subscribed to the Grand Prix YouTube channel, causing total subscribers to reach a total of 4.4 million, in the week prior to the race, the channel reached 41 million views.

For the first time, Q&A sessions were held with drivers via Google Cameos, to support fan engagement and growth.

Google Cameos is a mobile platform that allows public figures to answer frequently asked questions from the Google search engine.

Formula One’s head of digital media rights, Adam Crothers, said: “partnering with YouTube to live stream an F1 Grand Prix for the first time in key markets has been a big moment for us and we are hugely proud of the results.”

“It is clear to see that younger fans are more engaged with live streaming than ever before.

“The partnership with YouTube ensures we continue on the platform, which should also have a positive impact on our hugely important global broadcast community,” Crothers said.

Elsewhere, F1 has had to cancel the third race of the season, the Vietnam Grand Prix, due to COVID-19, making it the 13th race to be cut from the original calendar due to COVID-19 this year.

Vietnam Grand Prix Corp told Reuters they would refund all tickets that had been sold; and that “this has been an extremely difficult but necessary decision to reach in view of the continued uncertainty caused by the global coronavirus pandemic.”

Vietnam Ministry of Health statistics indicated that over 1,110 COVID-19 infections and 35 COVID-19 related deaths had taken place in Vietnam. 

Vietnam Grand Prix Corp chief executive, Le Ngoc Chi, said that the cancellation was taken as a necessary measure after a review of safety criteria.

In August, Formula One finalised its calendar for 2020, all four of the seasons’ American races were cancelled, along with the Chinese Grand Prix; while races in Turkey, Abu Dhabi, and Bahrain were added.