The Grand Prix F1 races are staged across 21 countries only. That leaves Formula 1 and its partners with a unique challenge. How do you keep the remaining 99% of fans across the word engaged when the race weekend ends?
"We are now up to 830 million fans worldwide, and probably less than 1% of those will get to a Grand Prix every year," said Formula 1's Head of Commercial Partnerships, Joe Selfe, during a media roundtable in Barcelona.
PepsiCo believes the answer lies in culture.
PepsiCo’s Sting Energy and DJ-producer Alan Walker unveiled a brand new anthem at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona. Called The Sting Within Me, the track was inspired by the sounds of a Formula 1 race car. On the surface, it looked like another brand collaboration. In reality, it reflected a larger shift in how sports organisations and brands build fandom.
"We know that today, consumers consume sport not only as sport, not only through watching racing. It's much, much broader cultural context. And this is why we are basically building that partnership, to build that meaningful experience for the fans on the track and, of course, beyond because it's much, much bigger than sport," said Viktoria Ustenko, PepsiCo's Senior Director, Global Brand Marketing – Energy.
From an internet viral moment to a Formula 1 anthem
The idea started online.
Fans noticed that the roar of a Formula 1 engine sounded remarkably like one word-‘Stinggg.’
That observation eventually evolved into a collaboration between Sting Energy, Formula 1 and Alan Walker.
For Walker, the process started with a simple question. How do you make Formula 1 sound like music? "The idea came after the initial request. Then the idea was to sample sounds of Formula 1. What makes Formula 1, Formula 1. We got sent a bunch of samples, recordings from the racetracks and little sound bites. Just put it in, like, the digital audio workshop and then start tweaking, and then, sooner or later, you have a song."
Walker said the sport already carried its own rhythm.
"Formula 1 already sounds electronic to me. The engines have rhythm, the build-up, the atmosphere, the tension, everything has a rhythm. Once I heard the 'Sting' connection, it was impossible to ignore," said Walker.
"I wanted the track to hit with the same pressure as a race start. Going live with it in Barcelona made it even more surreal because you could feel that emotion among fans in real time."
Walker, who grew up following motorsport and racing games, said the project allowed him to merge his passions.
"I've always been a big fan of sports like racing. I love go-karting, for example. So for me, when we got the offer on the table to make something that would be in collaboration with Sting and F1, I had to do something that captures the emotions, the feelings, leading up to the race, the anticipation. And I think it was kind of like the best of both worlds," he said.
ALSO READ: Don't follow trends, find something that sets you apart: Alan Walker To Young Creators
Sport is no longer just sport
For decades, sponsorship followed a familiar formula.
Put a logo on a jersey.
Buy advertising.
Hope fans remembered it.
Today's audiences engage differently.
Fans discover Formula 1 through documentaries, creators, gaming, social media and music. Drivers have become celebrities. Race weekends now blend competition with entertainment.
Formula 1 has embraced that shift.
The sport has expanded beyond the track into merchandise, film and entertainment. Music has become another way to stay connected to fans between race weekends.
Reaching the 99%
Formula 1 executives say the challenge is scale.
Music helps bridge that gap.
A race lasts a few hours.
A song lives on playlists, commutes and workouts.
A fan in Mumbai who may never travel to Monaco can still experience a piece of Formula 1 through an anthem inspired by the sport.
India has become a major fan market for Formula 1.
"We have 98 million fans in India. That's 20 million more than just two years ago, " said Selfe.
Despite not hosting a Grand Prix, India remains one of Formula 1's biggest audiences.
When asked whether Formula 1 could return to India, Selfe said, "I'm sure it is under consideration but not for me to comment on."
Despite not hosting a Grand Prix, India remains one of Formula 1's biggest audiences.
Culture-led collaborations allow the sport to reach fans wherever they are.
The new playbook
Formula 1 is not alone.
Football clubs collaborate with musicians and fashion brands.
Cricket leagues invest in anthems and opening ceremonies.
Sports organisations understand that fandom extends beyond the competition itself.
People want experiences.
Brands want relevance.
Walking through Barcelona during Grand Prix weekend, that shift was hard to miss. Fans debated tyre strategies and qualifying sessions. They also filmed performances, queued for fan activations and shared moments online.
The race remained the main attraction.
It just wasn't the only one.
PepsiCo's collaboration with Alan Walker points to a simple reality.
Sport today is not only about what happens on the field or the track.
It is also about the culture built around it.
And increasingly, that culture comes with a soundtrack.
The author travelled to Barcelona at the invitation of Formula 1.
