Formula 1, Digital strategy | After Virgin Racing and Mercedes GP, Red Bull invites you to enter its online community

Red Bull Racing has launched an online community ahead of the start of the 2010 Formula 1 season. The site was created after research among fans showed there was a desire for somewhere online where fans could engage with the team.
The launch came after other Formula 1 teams such as Virgin Racing and Mercedes GP said digital channels, in particular social media, were central to their marketing plans for the season.
The online community of Red Bull allows fans to upload and share content such as pictures and videos, while blogs and competitions will provide a chance for fans to get involved with the teams and get exclusive news.
David Granger, website manager at Red Bull, said, “Formula 1 hasn’t been good at engaging with fans and has been a slightly stand-offish sport. This gives us the chance to put across the less serious side of the sport.”
Red Bull will run competitions for community members and invite them to contribute race reports. The site lets fans sign up either directly or using Facebook Connect, which also enables Red Bull to widen its reach as activity on its community site gets posted on users’ Facebook feeds.
The site also links to the Red Bull team’s Twitter feed, and e-mail newsletters sent to members will link to the Red Bull Racing YouTube and Flickr pages.   [Via]