F1 and pubs: The perfect formula

The 2016 F1 season will be the biggest yet, meaning more opportunities for licensees to attract customers and increase the amount of time and money they spend in their venue, particularly on Sundays.

F1 is one of the most popular sports in pubs and bars, and with the races taking place on Sundays from March to November, there’s a great chance to attract fans in to watch all the action throughout the season, giving food and drink sales a potential boost. Pubs with additional viewing cards can show football and F1 at the same time on Sundays, keeping more customers happy and in their venue for longer.

As part of a record-breaking year for F1, with more races than ever before, Sky Sports F1 will be the only place to watch all 21 races live. The Sky Sports F1 schedule offers 11 of those races exclusively live​, including Monaco, Canada and three of the first four races.

Making a day of it

Given the global nature of F1, races may start at differing times of the day, particularly at the start of the season before the European races get under way. It’s therefore important to keep up to date with the schedule and plan ahead.

For example, the Australian Grand Prix season opener will be replayed after its live broadcast very early in the morning, and many die-hard F1 fans will make sure they avoid finding out the result in order to watch it ‘as live’ later at a more suitable time. Why not put on a Formula One breakfast or lunch with the replay on to celebrate the start of the new season?

What’s more, there’s the opportunity to combine F1 viewing with Super Sunday football, as well as Test cricket as we move into the summer. Plus for passionate fans in your venue, Sky Sports F1 will also be showing every practice and qualifying session, offering fans a complete weekend of racing.

Pub talking points

With pubs set to benefit from the scheduling and food and drink possibilities F1 presents during the next nine months, there’s plenty to get customers talking about all the action on and off the track:

Can Hamilton do it again?​
He won it in 2008, 2014 and 2015, but that doesn’t mean Lewis Hamilton will be any less determined to add another World Championship title to
his name.

Who can challenge him?​
Hamilton’s Mercedes team-mate, Nico Rosberg, beat the Brit in the last three races of the 2015 season, and many are predicting a more difficult time for the champion this term. And a big season is predicted for former World Champion Sebastian Vettel, who would love to be topping the podium more regularly in what is expected to be a much improved Ferrari.

Who else should you look out for?​
Daniel Ricciardo in the Red Bull is an exciting talent, as is young Max Verstappen. He finished 10th last season and his Toro Rosso will have last season’s Ferrari engine in it this time round, so he may appear on a few podiums throughout the season.

What will the new track be like?​
With Azerbaijan offering a new twilight street race, the signs are positive for a real spectacle.

Days for your diary

In the coming months, F1 races form just part of some unmissable days of live sport that are set to pack pubs up and down the country, including:​

17 April​
■ Chinese Grand Prix
■ Leicester City v West Ham Utd
■ Arsenal v Crystal Palace

29 May​
■ Monaco Grand Prix
■ England v Wales rugby union
■ England v Sri Lanka Test cricket
■ Football League play-off finals
■ BMW PGA golf

10 July​
■ British Grand Prix
■ Wimbledon men’s final (BBC)
■ Euro 2016 football final (BBC/ITV)

24 July​
■ Hungarian Grand Prix
■ England v Pakistan Test cricket
■ World Matchplay Darts final