Formula E Appoints Whisper for New-look and Expanded Broadcast Coverage
LONDON, UK. Weds. 1 Nov. 2023 – Formula E announced today that leading sports and entertainment production company, Whisper, will deliver English language live race coverage and programming for Season 10 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
The new partnership will see Whisper produce English-language programming including pre- and post-race shows and live race content. Showcasing the driver personalities, rivalries and storylines in Formula E will be a key feature of all content.
Last season was the most competitive yet in Formula E as both the Drivers’ and Teams’ world championship titles were decided on the final weekend. All racing track records were broken, while most of the 16 races featured triple-digit overtakes.
Beginning from the opening race of the season in Mexico City on Saturday, 13 January 2024, Whisper will produce an all-new, hour-long build-up show before every live race.
The extended pre-race show will focus on bringing the world championship to life for Formula E’s growing global audience, with driver stories, insight and analysis of the title race. Season 9 saw the highest-ever cumulative audience of live Formula E coverage with an increase of 4% to 225m compared to the previous season.
Whisper will produce a revamped access-all-areas show the night before every race weekend based around the Free Practice 1 session – the first time drivers are on-track – in a more informal, magazine-style format.
Whisper will also produce enhanced coverage of the Free Practice 2 and 3 sessions, and the popular live qualifying session. Formula E’s unique ‘Duels’ qualifying format features all 22 drivers in two groups of 11, with the four fastest in each group going into a head-to-head knockout competition to determine the winner, who starts in pole position, and the other starting positions on the grid.
A new presenting line-up will be announced soon featuring big names from the world of motorsport and entertainment who will join returning fan favourites including Nicki Shields, Karun Chandhok, Dario Franchitti, Radzi Chinyanganya, Allan McNish and Tom Brooks.
Aurora Media Worldwide will continue to create the host broadcast with Gravity Media providing production facilities.
Aarti Dabas, Chief Media Officer, Formula E, said:
“We are excited to work with Whisper who will bring to Formula E their impressive, proven credentials for creating compelling sports and entertainment broadcast content. Formula E is the most competitive motorsport world championship with unrivalled racing action, big personalities in the paddock, and genuine storylines that will capture the imagination of new and current audiences.”
Sunil Patel, CEO & Co-Founder, Whisper, said:
“Our intention for the Formula E coverage is to deliver ‘Entertainment Electrified’. We have an exciting and updated talent line up, as well as ambitious coverage plans, as we seek to redefine the coverage with the inspiring Formula E team. This project will draw on our creative storytelling skills and our absolute passion for motorsport.”
Whisper was co-founded by 13-time F1 Grand Prix winner, David Coulthard and has delivered award-winning F1 coverage since 2016. It produced the host coverage for W Series and is currently filming an access-all-areas documentary series within motorsport.
Season 10 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship begins in Mexico City and for the first time will include races on the streets of Tokyo and in Shanghai. The series will return to Diriyah, Hyderabad, São Paulo, Berlin, Portland, London and a location in Italy to be announced.
About Formula E and the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship:
As the world’s first all-electric FIA World Championship and the only sport certified net zero carbon since inception, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship brings dramatic racing to the heart of some of the world’s most iconic cities providing an elite motorsport platform for the world’s leading automotive manufacturers to accelerate electric vehicle innovation.
The Formula E network of teams, manufacturers, partners, broadcasters, and host cities are united by a passion for the sport and belief in its potential to accelerate sustainable human progress and create a better future for people and planet.
About ABB:
ABB is a technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. The company’s solutions connect engineering know-how and software to optimize how things are manufactured, moved, powered and operated. Building on more than 130 years of excellence, ABB’s ~105,000 employees are committed to driving innovations that accelerate industrial transformation. www.abb.com
Sources: Formula E PR
Images by Formula E
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