E81 - Max Métral - How Data Drives Racing - The Data Science Behind the Sports Industry

With over half a billion fans following its events worldwide,
Formula 1 is the greatest racing spectacle in the world. But very
few of us know about Formula 1 as a corporate entity. What makes
F1 such a highly successful organisation with raving fans?


Max Métral, the Senior Analytics Manager at Formula 1, is here to
give us an insider view into the inner workings of data and
analytics in the corporate sports entertainment media landscape.


At F1, Max is currently involved in leading the business
analytics department, which works to maximize commercial
opportunities of both B2B and B2C ventures of F1 by optimising
decision making using data analytics. Max uses data to deepen the
customers/consumers/fans knowledge and make better data-informed
decisions.


Before becoming the Senior Analytics Manager, Max was the Insight
Manager. As the Insights Manager, he developed the organisation’s
first-ever fan data analytics strategy. He also built up the F1
data team from scratch.


Max also enjoys teaching and sharing his real-life experience as
a visiting lecturer at various universities across London, Paris,
and Brussels.


Previously, Max has worked as a data and insights analyst at City
Football Group, Accenture Uk, and Adidas.


Academically, Max studied at the University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill - Kenan-Flagler Business School and has a Master of
Science in Management (MSc) degree from ESSEC Business School in
France.


He frequently speaks at reputed industry events involving data
analytics, sports business analytics, and sports marketing.


In this exclusive episode, Max shares how data and analytics are
used in the landscape of sports media and sports analytics.


The interview kicks off with Max sharing his passion and
experience in teaching and writing, when he is not working. Not
only does he find joy from these activities, but equally, he uses
the opportunity to sharpen his knowledge too.

Max provides a lot of business context for Formula 1 and how
it’s evolving from B2B to B2C and the DTC model.

How data analytics are becoming ever more critical in their
B2B business because broadcasters and promoters are asking more
questions than ever before to justify the ROI.

How Max and his team had to create the fans database from
scratch when he first started the job at Formula One.

How, eventually, the fans database has allowed Formula One to
start building its B2C business.

Why data analytics is becoming more critical for Above the
Line Marketing.

Why we can’t blindly trust the data and spend all our
marketing budget for Below the Line Marketing.

How to build a customer database with a global perspective
and some of the challenges it would come with.

How to create a new B2C market if you’re traditionally a B2B
business and why data plays such an important role to make both
of them complement each other.



If you are Chief Marketing Officer in a large corporation or work
in the media industry, listening to this episode is highly
recommended.


This episode is sponsored by the new program at DDA. It’s an
analytics leader mentorship program for senior managers and
executives in the business team who want to develop a data-driven
business to drive customer experience excellence. For a small
one-off annual fee, you get to book Unlimited Strategy Sessions
for a Full Year. For more information about this program, please
reach out to DDA!


BusinessAnalytics, CustomerExperience, DataScience