The Formula E electric car-racing championship has hailed a landmark content partnership with social media platform Facebook.
Under the terms of the wide-ranging deal, Formula E’s 2015-16 season-opener in Beijing on October 24 will become the first-ever motor race to be streamed live via Facebook when it is offered to the championship’s fans in Spain.
Facebook will also offer exclusive near-realtime highlights of key race action and moments during the Beijing ePrix and throughout the 2015-16 season.
Video capturing key overtakes and other race moments will be provided by Formula E and shared by drivers and teams. Formula E said that for the first time ever, drivers will provide exclusive live streams from the Facebook Mentions app to capture behind the scenes moments.
Ali Russell, director of media and strategic partnerships at Formula E, said: “We believe that live streaming the Beijing ePrix to our fans in Spain is a milestone in establishing Formula E as a pioneering digital brand and is the latest in a series of key developments in terms of our social reach.
“Formula E is a pioneering motorsport championship that is striving to engage a new type of fan, and working closely with innovative and creative partners such as Facebook is essential in establishing the brand across the globe.”
The agreement represents the latest move by Facebook into live sports streaming. Facebook simulcast its first-ever live sports programming on October 1 by covering the NBA Real Training Camp featuring the North American basketball league’s Cleveland Cavaliers franchise.
Facebook also streamed live coverage of August’s 2015 Audi Cup pre-season football club tournament, making the coverage available in 64 countries in various regions around the world.