03/04/2019
NEWS STORY
Those of you who thought Will Smith's antics with Lewis Hamilton in Abu Dhabi last year, when the actor 'swapped' places with the world champion to take his place on the grid, were all semi-spontaneous fun and games, may - or may not - be surprised to learn that it was in fact the opening move in a deal which sees the sport partner with the star's Westbrook Studios.
Formula One Management has announced that F1 has teamed up with Westbrook Studios and Apollo World Touring to "initiate a new broadcast entertainment initiative", which is due to hit screens next year.
The partnership is aimed at "enhancing the sport's entertainment", by means of attracting "a range of A-list celebrities, stunts and challenges, supported by live music performances in host cities over F1 Grand Prix weekends".
It is hoped that this will "bolster fan engagement by providing new outlets for supporters to come together and get involved while also generating commercial partners with new opportunities to collaborate".
"As we continue to build F1's entertainment and content offering, partnering with Will and Westbrook and the team at Apollo is an amazing opportunity to attract even more star power to F1 and the Grands Prix around the world, engaging with an even wider audience," said Sean Bratches, the sport's commercial boss."
The announcement comes ahead of the premiere of ‘Will Smith's The Bucket List', a collaboration between F1 and Westbrook first shown on Facebook Watch which depicts the actor bonding with his son Trey as they both drive on-track over the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend.
"I've always been a massive fan of the Formula 1 world," said Smith, "and fell even more in love with the sport while shooting an episode of ‘Will Smith's The Bucket List' with Lewis Hamilton at last year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
"F1's commitment to creating engaging and inspiring content for its fans mirrors our mission at Westbrook Studios. The synergy of our storytelling is undeniable, and I'm excited for fans to join us on this wild ride."
And die-hard F1 fans signal their support for this exciting partnership in... 3... 2... 1.
Check out our Wednesday gallery from Bahrain, here.