169 replies to this topic

[johnmhinds]

https://wtf1.com/pos...&utm_medium=rss

F1 is hoping to improve the fan experience by launching an official mascot during the Shanghai F1 Festival

Mascots are a big part of many sporting events, but Formula 1 has never really embraced the idea - until now. Liberty Media has decided that the sport needs one, and it’s being revealed in Shanghai next week as part of the ‘Heineken F1 Festival’.

Called ‘Axel’, apparently the mascot “will elevate the atmosphere of the F1 Festivals through edgy entertainment and impressive urban dance skills to engage with the audience. Axel will also have some gaming experience and will join guests on the various games around the Festival.” Sure, it sounds a bit cringe, but if it appeals to young fans then that has to be a good thing.

[Ramses1348]

published on April 2nd... Damn it!!

[r4mses]

About time, the vacuum w/o a mascot since Bernie's forced departure is hard.

 

Axel is great name. His (its?) family name should be "Schweiß". Since Achselschweiß (pronounced "Axel Schweiß" as seen below) is common in the F1 paddock and during race weekends.

 

 

Ah, and on top of that. If you leave out the "w" on the surname, you're left with "Axel Scheiß" which.. well, I guess I do not need to explain

Edited by r4mses, 02 April 2018 - 14:32.

[BuddyHolly]

Tell me this is a late April Fools joke.

 

if not then there can only be one mascot, the Hesketh bear!

[Stephane]

F1 Festivals ?? "edgy entertainement" ??? "impressive urban dace skills".

 

Where's the link with the race  ?

[LeClerc]

If the mascot is female and holds a pole with a number on it, I'm sure it will be met with approval among the die-hard F1 fans

[JHSingo]

I bet, whatever they come up with, this forum could have done better.

 

In fact, anyone inclined to start a "create the F1 mascot" thread?

[maximilian]

Spy shots have been leaked

 

[maximilian]

 

Actually, if the mascot is a cartoonish avatar of a tiny Bernie (well, Bernie=tiny, so it goes without saying) bopping around the paddock, I might actually be in favor of the idea.

Edited by maximilian, 02 April 2018 - 14:59.

[LuckyStrike1]

Makes sense now that Massa has finally retired. 

[Bloggsworth]

Oh that'll improve the racing, Bernie must be kicking himself for not having thought of it...

[pup]

 

impressive urban dance skills

Glad they clarified both 'impressive' and 'urban' so that we can be doubly sure that there won't be a white guy in the costume.   

Edited by pup, 02 April 2018 - 15:40.

[Disgrace]

But will it feature the halo?

[nosecone]

It makes F1 look somehow childish. I never understood why olympic games or football World Cups need a mascot. We could just happily live without it. I just hope they don't mess it up completely

[Ben1445]

It makes F1 look somehow childish.

Look childish? F1 is basically a bunch of kids who never quite grew up, especially with the whining and the tantrums!

[Nonesuch]

published on April 2nd... Damn it!!

Only on derivative blogs. The official Formula1.com website had it on April 1st:

 

Presented by Heineken, the first F1 Festival of 2018 will take place in Shanghai from 13 to 15 April. The buzz, excitement and passion of an F1 Grand Prix event will be brought to the heart of the city at the same time as the drivers and teams will be tackling the third round of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship at the Shanghai International Circuit (SIC.), the Formula 1 2018 Heineken Chinese Grand Prix. The Heineken F1 Shanghai Festival will take place at two prestigious locations, allowing people to live the Formula 1 experience as never before. (...)

The Heineken F1 Shanghai Festival will see the debut of Axel, the F1 mascot, who will elevate the atmosphere of the F1 Festivals through edgy entertainment and impressive urban dance skills to engage with the audience. Axel will also have some gaming experience and will join guests on the various games around the Festival.

https://www.formula1...1-festival.html

Edited by Nonesuch, 02 April 2018 - 16:04.

[f1paul]

[Marklar]

published on April 2nd... Damn it!!

actually it was announced on april 1st...that's why I thought that it was a joke xD

[Clatter]

It makes F1 look somehow childish. I never understood why olympic games or football World Cups need a mascot. We could just happily live without it. I just hope they don't mess it up completely

They have a mascot so as to sell merchandise. No idea how it improves the fan experience though. Can honestly say that when sitting in the stands a mascot was not the thing that would make the weekend complete.

[Afterburner]

The Heineken F1 Shanghai Festival will see the debut of Axel, the F1 mascot, who will elevate the atmosphere of the F1 Festivals through edgy entertainment and impressive urban dance skills to engage with the audience. Axel will also have some gaming experience and will join guests on the various games around the Festival.

The drivers are the mascots. That’s the whole damn point you numpties.

Edited by Afterburner, 02 April 2018 - 17:11.

[RECKLESS]

Something like this would actually be real cool and suit the sport imo.

 

[RisingFive]

Herbie the Halo or Frank the flip flop.

[Neno]

Herbie the Halo or Frank the flip flop.

Bernie the Halo. 

[P123]

Look childish? F1 is basically a bunch of kids who never quite grew up, especially with the whining and the tantrums!

And that's just it's hardcore fans...

[tomjol]

[r4mses]

Something like this would actually be real cool and suit the sport imo.

 

 

Looking forward to see its "impressive urban dance skills"!

[Blackjack1967]

I vote for Tilke the Tracky

[F1matt]

Liberty have their finger on the pulse, giving the F1 fans what they want.......

[SenorSjon]

Since the halo and other genius rules, I don't rule out any silly thing, even if it is announced april 1st.

[jonpollak]

Urban skills huh...Does this mean Booty Shakin' ?

[Laster]

Targeted at the younger audience no doubt. Meh, I don't really care mascot or not, I just want the racing and financial distribution sorted.

[Maisteri]

Bernie the FlipFlop it is.

[SophieB]

actually it was announced on april 1st...that's why I thought that it was a joke xD

Tbh, it still reads so much like the executives in The Simpsons dreaming up Poochie that I still think it’s just a gag.

[OvDrone]

 

DRS Derek enjoying another enthralling procession during the Sochi '18 Grand Prix

Edited by OvDrone, 02 April 2018 - 21:55.

[Risil]

EDGY

[HonNSX]

And that's just it's hardcore fans...

 

Touche

[ANF]

Tbh, it still reads so much like the executives in The Simpsons dreaming up Poochie that I still think it’s just a gag.

It's real. And there's more. And "Each activation will explore the visceral elements of Formula 1 as recently demonstrated through the Engineered Insanity multi-platform marketing campaign, informing and opening up the F1 world to a new generation of fans."

[KWSN - DSM]

 

[johnmhinds]

It's real. And there's more. And "Each activation will explore the visceral elements of Formula 1 as recently demonstrated through the Engineered Insanity multi-platform marketing campaign, informing and opening up the F1 world to a new generation of fans."

Someone let Sean Bratches out of his glass bubble again. He must get paid for each marketing cliche he makes.

Edited by johnmhinds, 03 April 2018 - 00:37.

[BalanceUT]

It makes F1 look somehow childish. I never understood why olympic games or football World Cups need a mascot. We could just happily live without it. I just hope they don't mess it up completely

All sports are childish. Grown men and women being paid to perform spectacles of what they did as children in costumes best described as pajamas and which you wouldn't be caught dead wearing on the street excepting the connection to the sporting enterprise. 

 

Racing: "I can go faster than you" "Uh Un! I will go faster than YOU!" "Says You! I'm the fastest in the whole world!" (another kid walks up) "Both of you are full of it, I'm the fastest there ever has been or ever will be!" "Race you to that pole and back." "I'm gonna kick your ass" huff huff huff... "If we were in my dad's car I would have won!" "Says you!...." 

 

And we spend time and money watching it and invest time on these boards discussing it. 

Edited by BalanceUT, 03 April 2018 - 00:38.

[taran]

I don’t believe the amount of complaining on this forum. Most posters act like a “fan” whose favourite underground band has been discovered by the masses and so they don't like their music anymore because it has become “commercial” and now spend all their time thrash talking the band.

 

Liberty wants to rejuvenate an admittedly stale racing series and get some much needed younger crowd interested. Many sporting events have a mascot. Unless marketing suits have bamboozled entrepreneurs and sporting authorities all over the world, they actually serve a purpose. I am 50 years old so they don’t do anything for me but if it gets some kids into racing, I am all for it.

[SenorSjon]

Bring back the pre parc ferme rules. F1 was getting masses and masses of fanbase in that era, still watching today. But that fanbase is dwindling fast with TV-decoders and cars not so brutal anymore.

[Mat13]

So... is it serious or not?

[phrank]

Can't believe that people cannot see this is Aprils fools

[NixxxoN]

I hope its a joke

[WilliamsF1Fan]

They could sell Formula Onesies replicating the no doubt adorable mascots.  

[SenorSjon]

Can't believe that people cannot see this is Aprils fools

 

Because of the funky rules and ideas landing every other week, a mascot seems the most plausbile one and in line with the Americanization of F1.

[phrank]

Because of the funky rules and ideas landing every other week, a mascot seems the most plausbile one and in line with the Americanization of F1.

Actually I'm not 100% sure its not a joke

[Clatter]

Actually I'm not 100% sure its not a joke

That's the problem. So many silly ideas that you can't tell if it's a joke or not.

[paulb]

Edited by paulb, 03 April 2018 - 11:53.