Motorsport Network forms market-beating partnership to create the world’s foremost motorsports results and data business.
February 14, 2017, Miami, FL. Motorsport Network, the world’s largest automotive and motorsport digital technology business, today confirmed that it had acquired a shareholding in FORIX, the world’s largest and most trusted motorsport results database.
The FORIX motorsport database contains racing and rallying results from almost 500 championships spanning 3.9 million timed sessions alongside the career records of 62,000 drivers & riders and over 1,000 motorsport venues from around the world. The dataset includes historical events dating back to 1894 and covers every major series on two wheels and four – last season alone, FORIX captured and stored the results from 2,829 motorsport events.
FORIX will become part of one of the Network’s specialist businesses, Motorsport Stats, which exists to syndicate motor racing content in words, pictures and video as well as results from the organisation’s market-leading portfolio of media titles, including Autosport, Motorsport.com and LAT Images – the world’s largest motorsport & motoring image archive that spans the entire 123 year history of the FORIX archive.
Motorsport Stats also supplements this digital content with highly engaging visualised data that helps fans follow the racing performance of drivers and teams. Motorsport Stats has already established itself as a leader in the motorsports data analytics field having acquired the Wildsoft motorsport database.
With a reputation for unparalleled accuracy, the FORIX database will become the source of motor racing truth at the heart of the Motorsport Stats array of racing analysis and data products for fans as well as promoters, sponsors, bookmakers and media owners. By aligning FORIX with its own assets and technologies, Motorsport Stats will take a definitive leadership position in the motorsport results and data analytics field.
Motorsport Stats’ CEO, Liam Clogger said, “Motorsport Stats has an impressive arsenal of racing and rallying data, but FORIX brings with it not just a significant addition to our capability, but also a pedigree and reputation for absolute accuracy that is the gold standard in our sector. We’re delighted that João Paulo Cunha and the FORIX team have agreed to partner us with the development of data-driven products that will enrich the way motorsport is consumed on mobile, in social, in broadcast and online.”
'Best-in-class' primary source
Motorsport Stats customers range from media organisations that are seeking to secure best-in-class primary source motorsport journalism from trackside at a fraction of the cost of sending their own staff to events to brands seeking unique fan engagement content such as visualised data analysis served through mobile applications.
João Paulo Cunha, FORIX’s Founder said, “FORIX has been a labour of love for me for the past thirty years. It is wonderful that we can align the depth of this truly unique data source with the capabilities at Motorsport Stats and indeed more widely across Motorsport Network in order that our endeavour can fuel new and exciting products for the company and our customers beyond.”
Zak Brown, Motorsport.com’s Chairman said, “Motorsport Stats has a fantastic array of products breaking cover for 2017 which will re-shape the way motor racing is reported and viewed. Underpinning these breakthrough products with the depth and accuracy implicit in the FORIX name makes this news a compelling proposition.”
Transaction Highlights
> FORIX is the world’s largest and most trusted database of motorsport results
> The business will become part of Motorsport Stats, supplementing the company’s own proprietary motorsport data holdings and the Wildsoft database acquired in 2015 to create the largest data repository of motorsport information
> João Paulo Cunha and his team will continue to operate FORIX, supporting its existing client base
> Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed
> This transaction follows Motorsport Network’s acquisition of Motors TV (November 18, 2016) and Haymarket Media Group’s motor racing portfolio (October 5, 2016)
Editor’s Note - Motorsport Stats’ Y2017 Products and Services
Forix Classified Results
Low-latency, high accuracy race and rally classified results services offered in JSON, XML
ForixWire
Sports Desk publishing tool providing motorsport text news service, bundled LAT Images (13m images covering all racing series), classified results, short-form motorsport video, print-ready infographics and car & helmet livery drawings
Widget Suite
MSS’ widget suite offers digital media owners plug and play content modules feeding calendar, event and results information and rich analytics from major international motorsport series seamlessly into host websites. Widgets provide ‘native’ sticky content generating high dwell times and repeat visits and are wholly automated
API
The MSS API provides access to the wealth of Motorsport Network motorsport media assets spanning news and features to real-time visualised analytics of motor racing performance
Mobile App
MSS has a range of mobile applications providing live timing, editorial, video, fan polling and analytics content elements for use by promoters, sponsors, bookmakers and media companies
For more information, please contact:-
Tim Southers, Public Relations, Motorsport Network
E tim.southers@motorsport.com t 1 828 449 5722
About Motorsport Stats
Motorsport Stats helps to heighten the engagement of motor sport audiences with a portfolio of editorial content, results data and visualised performance analysis which it supplies to broadcasters & media owners, federations and promoters, auto makers, sponsors and bookmakers. Motorsport Stats is part of Motorsport Network
For more information, please visit: www.motorsportstats.com