Formula 1 and the Power of Story: Emotional Narratives and Fan Engagement among Gen Z and Millennials

Gonçalves Bueno, Vytor (2025) Formula 1 and the Power of Story: Emotional Narratives and Fan Engagement among Gen Z and Millennials. Masters thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.

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Abstract

The interest in Formula 1 has been increasing among the young audience, shifting the profile from a middle-aged group. Moreover, the rise in popularity is a result of many new strategies adopted by Liberty Media since the Formula 1 group acquisition in 2017. One of the strategies is the release of Drive to Survive, a documentary which brings the audience into the paddock, revealing the humanised side of the sport through behind-the-scenes. In addition, series such as Senna (2024) enable the young audience to learn about the sport's story and its legendary legacy, providing rich historical context. However, before Liberty Media came to Formula 1, in 2013, the movie Rush (2013) introduced the emotional narrative content of the sport and attracted the young generation.

The research is placed in this context, aiming to explore the impact of the emotional narratives on fan engagement, increasing their interest and attraction, and analysing how fans' perception has changed because of the audiovisual content and its impact on longterm loyalty. Additionally, this research is timely and necessary, in that it is largely unexplored in academic research to date. This research adopted a qualitative method, with semi-structured interviews, which were carried out with ten fans from different countries who have watched at least one of the three audiovisual productions investigated. The data were analysed using the Psychological Continuum Model (PCM) by Funk and James (2001), exploring the fan involvement levels, awareness, attraction, attachment, and allegiance/loyalty.

In conclusion, the results gained by the interviews indicated that the emotional narratives significantly increase the curiosity about the sport, strengthening emotional connection with drivers, teams and the sport itself. Also, fans tend to adopt an active engagement, such as merchandise purchase, social media interaction, audiovisual productions consumption, and allegiance, suggesting the sport to others. Emotional narratives also reinforce belonging and fan self-identification within the Formula 1 universe.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Supervisors:	Name Email Hurley, David UNSPECIFIED
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HF Commerce > Marketing > Consumer Behaviour B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > Psychology > Emotions H Social Sciences > HF Commerce > Marketing H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > Specific Industries > Motor Industry G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation Leisure > Sports
Divisions:	School of Business (- 2025) > Master of Science in Marketing
Depositing User:	Ciara O'Brien
Date Deposited:	14 Feb 2026 11:34
Last Modified:	14 Feb 2026 11:34
URI:	https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/9142

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