Industry News

BookF1.com bought out by motorsport media giant

Leading motorsport media firm Motorsport Network has targeted dominance in the European ticketing market after acquiring BookF1.com.

The ticketing and travel operator, founded in 2003, is the biggest digital ticketing operator in the UK for Formula 1, the World Endurance Championship (BookWEC.com) and MotoGP (BookMoto.com). It offers general access tickets to premier corporate hospitality in the Formula One Paddock Club plus associated packages spanning event parking, transfers and accommodation.

Motorsport Network, which is headquartered in Miami and active in 21 countries, has already commenced a growth plan that will see BookF1.com expand into European markets including France, Netherlands, Germany and Italy under the new identity of Motorsport Experiences. It is the owner of Motorsport.com, Motor1.com and several other leading websites.

James Allen, Motorsport Network’s president of EMEA, said: “It is true to our mission to provide our audiences with another very important way to consume motor racing – not just via our reporting or broadcasting on our websites, but now in person at trackside.

“We will accelerate BookF1’s market-leading presence with our unparalleled scale and capacity to speak to fans in multiple languages. As a digital first business we will wrap ticketing offers and experiences in with our catalogue of benefits that we bring to the sport’s millions of fans.”

The expansion plan will be led by Paul Deason, the founder and chief executive of BookF1.com.

Motorsport Network has identified “new cross-selling opportunities” that can “enrich the services that the company provides to its audiences”.

Deason said: “We have grown BookF1.com organically for the past 15 years. I am very proud of what we have achieved, including our expansion into MotoGP and WEC, while always keeping our focus on high quality customer service.

“This is demonstrated by our many loyal customers who return to us each year. But now it is the right time to scale our operation and I can think of no better partner than Motorsport Network, who will enable us to reach far beyond our existing capacity and create new products and services to fans across the globe that will make their motorsport ticketing experience truly unique. I am very excited about our future together.”

Image: URV