On the day most relevant of the Formula 1 at the internal level in the last few years, and it may be that many decades, it has accomplished the end of the era of Bernie Ecclestone as the main-chief and responsible of the Formula 1, the whole time that Liberty Media has confirmed and made effective the purchase of the category. With Ecclestone on a new role as chief emeritus, where his work will be basically a consultant, Chase Carey happens to be the new top dog and face visible.
But the american businessman will not be alone in this adventure, and has decided to delegate part of his functions with two other people, with that confomará a triumvirate of power. that will make all the decisions-business and sports category, thus covering all the areas in which Ecclestone had powers. The elect to be his right and left hands are Ross Brawn and Sean Bratches.
Brawn is a name well known in the paddock of Formula 1. Their successes as technical director at Benetton, Williams and Ferrari helped to define the Formula 1 from the 90’s and 2000, and ventured into remarkable fortune in the work of team leader, leading to a structure of its own to win the championship of the world, and laying the foundation for Mercedes to establish their current dominance over the grill. The british left the Formula 1 at the end of 2013, and had refused on repeated occasions to the possibility of occupying a hole prominent in the new direction of Formula 1. Brawn will be Competition Director in this new era, taking care of the sports part of the business: the teams, drivers and regulations.
“I have enjoyed being a consultant to Liberty Media these past few months, and I’m looking forward to working with Chase, Sean and the rest of the team to help the evolution of the sport”, says Brawn. “We have an opportunity almost unprecedented to work together with the teams and promoters for a Formula 1 better for them and, more importantly, for the fans”. To Chase Carey, “in his 40 years in the sport, (Brawn) has brought his magical touch to each computer on which you have worked, has the experience, relationships and technical expertise almost unmatched, and I have already benefited greatly from their advice and knowledge”.
Multiple growth opportunities
In regards to Bratches, its position in the new organization chart will be the Director of Commercial Operations. This executive american has been a key piece to the growth of the sports channel ESPN, and its expansion as a franchise of sport at the global level, since the early 90’s. Among his many responsibilities as Executive Vice president of Sales and Marketing, Bratches was in charge of the advertising revenues, marketing analysis, video-on-demand and distribution of high definition content, with which it is expected that his arrival would involve a boost to the opening of the category to the digital world and to increase the attractiveness of the Formula 1-level sponsors.
Bratches said to be “delighted to be able to contribute to the continued growth of this extraordinary global brand and sport. The Formula 1 is one of the few true global sports first row, and I am encouraged by the multiple opportunities to grow materially affect the business, working closely with current and future sponsors, circuits and holders of the television rights, in addition to to create experiences of career of new generation, digital, and face-to-face, in order to better serve the fans”. Carey, for his part, says that “Sean was a key figure in turning ESPN on one of the sports franchises leaders in the world. His knowledge and experience in the world of sales, marketing, digital media, and distribution will be invaluable to grow the Formula 1″.
With the addition of two key figures for understanding the field of sports and digital that it must confront the Formula 1 of the TWENTY-first century, Carey ‘only’ have to worry about the financial aspect, something that will work elbow with elbow with “Duncan Llowarch, our director of finance, Sacha Woodward Hill, our general counsel, FIA, Bernie and Liberty, as we work together to make the Formula 1 as best as possible for the teams, promoters and fans in years to come.” Is started, therefore, a period of uncertainty following the long reign of Bernie Ecclestone, whose consequences still can only intuit. starts the “era Carey”.
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