Those of you of a nervous disposition when it comes to the world of marketing, or indeed those of you who hanker for the good old days, when the helmets were cork and elbows-out racing was just that, had best look away now.

Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix, F1's commercial boss, Sean Bratches explained why the sport will be such a good fit for Miami... and much, much more.

"We're off to a great start this season, a lot of unpredictability on the grid, we've seen some great racing, exciting times, and I think from a commercial standpoint we're on a journey.

"We're on the front side of it," he added, "there's a lot to do, but we feel we've accomplished a lot and we're looking forward to the future."

Asked about Miami, he replied: "It went well, we've been working with the with the different constituents in Miami for about a year, we're trying to see if there's something smart to do that makes sense and minimises the disruption from a residents standpoint and business standpoint in an iconic city.

"I don't know if there's a city on the planet that aligns with our brand more than Miami," he continued. "We're both about celebrity, about glamour, about fashion, we're about art, we're about digital, technology. We both have great sporting histories, so we think it's a good brand alignment.

"We received unanimous approval, both in the city and the county, Miami Dade County level, and what that really means is that it gives the City Manager the authority to enter into negotiations with us. So we've got some wood to chop but we're encouraged and we want to work with the City, the Port Authority and the relevant constituents to make sure we put on an event that works for everyone."

"Asked if this might impact Silverstone, whose future beyond 2019 is very much in doubt, circuit owners, the British Racing Drivers' Club, having ended their contract, he said: "I don't know how we made the leap from Miami to Silverstone but we... Silverstone is the heritage of this sport, it's at the nucleus of what we're about.

"We continue to have productive discussions," he added. "We're looking forward to having a fantastic Grand Prix there this year, and 2019, and we are encouraged about the prospect of continuing racing there."

Referring to the Fan Zone, he said: "We're trying to pivot Formula One from a motorsport company to a media and entertainment brand. We're trying to be very much a fan first focussed entity, and what you're seeing today is some of the perspectives that we saw last year, and bringing some of our vision into form, so to speak. We're encouraged, and the reaction has been fantastic but there's a lot more to come. These are things we want to do at every single Grand Prix, we want to be additive and continue to find what works, what doesn't work.

"We're becoming a researched focus entity as well," he continued. "We have sensors all around the Grand Prix which track people's wireless, determine footfall, to identify the best places to locate festival activities, merchandise tents, things of that nature. We work in the most technologically sophisticated sport on the planet so we're trying to conform some of our research in the same way."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Paul C, 02/06/2018 19:13

"Sean Bratches is another idiot who wants more party paddock and much less of that annoying racing. Put real racing people back in charge yesterday."

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2. Posted by Fitz, 17/05/2018 19:55

"I lived in the US for a number of years and have many American friends and generally we understand each other pretty well, but this guy Bratches speaks a language with which I am not familiar. I may be called BS."

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3. Posted by Spindoctor, 15/05/2018 10:00

"I can see from other comments that I'm not alone in finding this mangling of the English language almost completely unintelligible.
No amount of corporate media speak can disguise the fact that Liberty media hasn't faintest idea about Formula One. This kind of bovine excrement may convince the purveyors of breakfast cereal, but in these parts it butters no parsnips."

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4. Posted by imejl99, 15/05/2018 7:02

"3 week short of exactly 6 years ago FOPA was set up. Another Bernie`s joke on all of us, it seems."

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5. Posted by Egalitarian, 14/05/2018 22:45

"He certainly speaks like an American. Front side I'm assuming means - the leading edge or similar.
Almost all of his [m]utterings seem to be code for "we want to make money", which is part of the American psyche anyway. The "in God we trust" being on the US dollar bill; that's their god - the dollar bill. "

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6. Posted by Rock Doc, 14/05/2018 20:57

"I should have taken the advice at the beginning, my mistake.

My favorite was " We're trying to be very much a fan first focussed entity " Try telling that to the Italian fans, probably the most die-hard of any country. They don't seem to agree."

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7. Posted by FQITW, 14/05/2018 17:39

"What is this guy talking about?

Chopping wood? Is Uncle Ken making a return?

Front sided standpoints ? Sounds painful being at the front and on the side at the same time.

"We're both about celebrity, about glamour, about fashion, we're about art, we're about digital, technology”. (not smelly old noisy engines and racing then)

“We received unanimous approval, both in the city and the county”.
Miami is pleased with the idea of a free race.

“Asked if this might impact Silverstone”
Of course it will, swinging doors etc

"We're trying to pivot Formula One from a motorsport company to a media and entertainment brand. We're trying to be very much a fan first focussed entity”.

Surely these two statements are incompatible?

"We're becoming a researched focus entity as well”
Yes I’m sure you are.
What is a researched focus entity?

I’ll have a pint of what he’s drinking and I’ll have it now!!
"

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8. Posted by Chris Roper, 14/05/2018 16:15

"I do hope that John Cleese is following this, I have long wished for a sequel to "Fierce Creatures" and it looks like Liberty Media are busy writing the script for him."

Bratches: F1's a fan first focussed entity

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