How #LenovoF1 Revitalized the Chinese Grand Prix

The COVID-19 pandemic turned the world upside down — and that includes the world of spectacular events like motorsports.

This year, the FORMULA 1 LENOVO CHINESE GRAND PRIX 2024 surged out of its five-year hiatus, making a huge splash in Shanghai on April 21st. Lenovo was honored to be the Title Sponsor of the event. In the third year of our technology partnership with Formula 1 , we knew our teams could make this a day to remember — for fans in attendance and around the world, for the drivers and race crews, and for everyone supporting this massive undertaking.

As Lenovo and F1 both strive for excellence in our fields, and especially where we intersect, we aim to delight fans and customers in all we do. The intricacy of our partnership reflects the symbiotic nature of cutting-edge technology and the adrenaline-fueled world of Formula 1 racing — not to mention the power of marketing and branding.

There’s an art and a science to revitalizing a sport and brand in a rich cultural landscape like China, and I’m so grateful to everyone who made the day a success.

The Race

The FORMULA 1 LENOVO CHINESE GRAND PRIX 2024 marked the 20th anniversary of the F1 Chinese Grand Prix and celebrated the event’s return to China after a five-year absence.

Undoubtedly, the excitement was amplified by the participation of Chinese F1 driver Zhou Guanyu racing on his home circuit for the first time.

Lenovo’s role as the Title Sponsor was pivotal — not only in marking these milestones, but also in ensuring that the event resonated deeply with the 180,000 fans present in Shanghai and the millions who tuned in around the world.

The moment we unveiled the new trophy was exquisite. In the run-up to the event, we knew we had set a high bar with last year’s kiss-activated trophy — that was going to be hard to beat. We asked ourselves: How can we keep it fresh? How can we keep it exciting? How do we deepen our relationship? These questions kept us pushing hard on every aspect of the race.

For the trophy in particular, we took inspiration from so many places, like Western sports history, Chinese culture, the Year of the Dragon, the speed of cars around a racetrack. We even hosted an unveiling event accompanied by a gorgeous 3D dragon soaring around the room! The sheer delight on the faces of the crowd and the winners has to be one of my favorite moments of the year, most especially when Max Verstappen raised the trophy above his head and Lando Norris wore his around his neck.

The Strategy

Lenovo approached the challenge of revitalizing the Chinese GP with a multifaceted strategy focused on making the most of our partnership. Lenovo and Formula 1 have worked together for three years now, and the more we learn about each other, the more opportunities we unlock.

We wanted to invest in innovative marketing initiatives and elevate the presence of both our brands. Formula 1 is one of the most technologically advanced sports in the world, if not the most, and we’re always excited to showcase how Lenovo’s technology contributes to that prowess. This involved close collaboration — between the Formula 1 global and on-site teams and Lenovo’s global and local China teams — to develop a comprehensive marketing activation plan.

Fan engagement and fan delight were at the heart of this activation plan, including personalized merchandising and store branding. We benefitted from stunning signage at the track, but also invested in thrilling advertising in secondary locations, like a groundbreaking 3D display on the Huangpu River. Our teams worked hard to create emotional and compelling video content to capture the audience — heart, mind, and adrenaline – and amplify this milestone on social media.

The Collaboration

Lenovo’s partnership with F1 extends beyond race sponsorship. Our collaboration enhances both race performance and the spectator experience, with fans at the heart of all initiatives. Our premium technology — across workstations, HPC, servers, and storage solutions — powers F1’s heavy-duty activities such as CAD design, graphics creation, and broadcasting, making fans feel like they are part of the action.

With an expanded calendar of 24 races in 2024, F1 continues to push boundaries to deliver an incredible spectacle for fans. Lenovo supports F1’s quest for productivity, mobility, and security throughout its organization, empowering over 600 employees, from executives to track-side operational engineers.

The journey was not without challenges, but I fully believe the success of the race was a testament to the collaborative effort, dedication, and creativity of two diverse and ambitious global teams. Both the Lenovo and F1 teams worked cohesively despite many people meeting for the first time. Many on my team at Lenovo have highlighted that the strong support from Formula 1, who provided guidance every step of the way, was invaluable in leveraging such exhilarating opportunities.

The Sheer Power

Over the three amazing years of our partnership with F1, each racing season and Grand Prix activation, especially every Title Race, has offered new learnings that help Lenovo refine and improve the performance, tailoring, and measurement of our #LenovoF1 campaigns.

This year especially, we dove deep into different channels and formats for communicating with the fans. Understanding the rich target audience of F1 fans, from their expectations to what resonates with them, was crucial. In the superspeed world of motorsports, our teams are constantly challenged to innovate and achieve new heights — a challenge we all embrace enthusiastically.

Having had the chance to reflect, I fully believe the revitalization of the Chinese GP and Lenovo's role as the Title Sponsor has not only shown the strength in the sport, our brands, and the audience, but also highlighted the sheer power of strategic partnerships and innovative marketing.

Lenovo and F1 will continue to blaze new trails in our commitments to innovation, fan delight, and global engagement. Thank you to each and every team member and fan for coming along on the journey with us!