How SUPER FORMULA and Out of KidZania are getting children interested in motorsports

To get the youngest fans interested and raise awareness for the various occupations in motorsports, the Japanese SUPER FORMULA Championship is teaming up with the popular Out of KidZania project, led by the KCJ GROUP INC. under the KidZania brand, in order to give children a unique hands-on experience in the world of racing. We talked with the Japan Race Promotion Co., Ltd. about this innovative approach.

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Motorsports worldwide is trying to find and attract new fans. While categories such as Formula 1, IndyCar or NASCAR went the “documentary style” way with shows on Netflix and national TV, the Japanese SUPER FORMULA Championship went a whole different direction – both offline and online. At the beginning of 2023, the series has introduced the innovative application SFgo with the goal to enhance motorsports entertainment with a digital solution. Via this digital platform, premium SFgo members can enjoy live streaming of all races, qualifying and practice sessions as well as live onboard streams, live telemetry data and team radio transmission of all drivers. Free members get access to the latest information on their favorite teams as well as a steady flow of free videos. In addition, the JRP started a partnership with the popular Japanese streaming service ABEMA. Founded in 2015, ABEMA aims to innovate television and create a “new future television”. The live broadcast as well as a regular talk show with many of the drivers as guests was realized out of a shared desire to let a wider range of people learn about the appeal of SUPER FORMULA and motorsports as a whole.

In parallel, the JRP has introduced new and innovative offline event content. Since the start of the 2023 season, SUPER FORMULA is teaming up with Out of KidZania, which is part of the KidZania project – a “child-centered” city, where children can learn about the workings of society via approximately 100 various jobs while having fun. Born from the desire to provide children a more realistic experience, the KCJ GROUP INC. added the “Out of KidZania” program, where the general idea of the project gets directly taken to the location of the partner companies.

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While there’s plenty of young children dreaming of becoming a professional racing driver, the same can’t always be said for the many other occupations in the world of motorsports. However, to guarantee future growth of the sport, the roles of the mechanics, engineers, team managers, track marshals, journalists and more are just as important. This is one of the main reasons why SUPER FORMULA’s governing body, the JRP, approached the KCJ GROUP INC., which is running Out of KidZania, to allow children to learn about the activities of the many unsung heroes in the industry, and potentially pursue a career in it as they grow up.

“Our overall goal in the Out of KidZania project is to increase the number of future motorsports fans. The aim is to broaden awareness about the various jobs available in motorsports beyond driving and to nurture individuals who may pursue careers in motorsports as they grow”, JRP’s Kazuki Kuroda told us. “The collaboration with the well-known KidZania brand in Japan aims to attract families where, for example, a father who loves racing can bring along a mother or children who may not be initially interested in racing. The goal is to create opportunities for families to enjoy racing together.” The initiative worked: Compared to last year, all 2023 SUPER FORMULA rounds saw a significant increase in the number of family attendees.

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Thanks to the program, children have the opportunity to look behind the scenes and experience various roles such course official, control official, team manager, racing tyre services, giving the command to start the engines before the race, grid board holder, circuit announcer and motorsports journalist. For the latter, two children get to attend the press conference after qualifying and even ask two exclusive questions to the three fastest drivers. These often result in some very interesting insights. At this year’s JAF Suzuka Grand Prix, one aspiring young journalist for example asked the pilots about their confidence level heading into the season finale.

In addition to the mentioned jobs, plans to include the roles of the mechanics and engineers have been considered, but had to get dropped to ensure the authenticity of the experience and maintain safety. However, for 2024 the JRP aims to explore additional ways to enhance the unique opportunities provided to the children, Kazuki Kuroda revealed to us: “These plans include developing online learning resources for jobs like drivers and mechanics that are challenging to experience on-site.”

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The Out of KidZania project at the SUPER FORMULA rounds is available to all children from the first grade of elementary school to the third grade of junior high school (age 6-15). Depending on the job, there might be eligibility criteria, but outside of that, they can freely apply for specific occupations based on their preferences. To participate, children or their parents on their behalf can check the list of available jobs outside the paddock. Even though the list of available jobs is published online before the event, actual applications are only accepted at the Out of KidZania booth in the Fan Area. “This is to encourage children to visit the circuit and provide them with a chance to apply for and experience the roles.”

As it’s common in Japan, the selection process involves a lottery system. Kuroda: “The schedule for gatherings is announced beforehand, and interested participants, along with their parents, line up at the designated time. Numbers are distributed at the deadline, and a lottery is conducted. Those selected fill out application forms and pay the experience fee. Non-selected children receive novelty items.” After the job experience, a wrap-up session is being held. Following its completion, both children and parents receive a questionnaire. “The feedback obtained focuses not only on the enjoyment factor, but also delves into the understanding, interest, and curiosity the children developed regarding the profession”, Kuroda explains.

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The first year of holding the project across all championship rounds was a success: Approximately 2,300 children applied for it, with around 120 children chosen for each event. Furthermore: The collaboration with KidZania actively contributes in getting young girls interested in motorsports, which still has the preconception of being a male-dominated sport. While there are various initiatives in Japan to support young female racers such as the JAF’s Women in Motorsport program and the all-female KYOJO CUP, which spawned talents such as Miki Koyama – the first woman to win the championship in a mixed-gender FIA-sanctioned single seater junior category in 2022 –, women working in other roles such as Nakajima Racing’s performance engineer Yuki Urano are still a rarity. According to Kazuki Kuroda, the Out of KidZania statistics from all SUPER FORMULA events in 2023 showed a male-to-female ratio of approximately 7:3. A number that will surely rise with the years to come.

Whether they pursue to succeed circuit announce Pierre Kitagawa in the future, manage entire race weekends from the control tower, are trying to squeeze information out of the drivers, actively work on the cars or simply just become more interested in motorsports in general – children are the future. By offering them a unique hands-on experience, the Japanese SUPER FORMULA Champion and the Out of KidZania project are leading the way with a very unique approach, which many other categories worldwide can learn a lot from. With the strong numbers speaking for themselves, the JRP draws a positive review out of the inaugural year: “We’re highly satisfied with the outcomes and responses in the first year of the Out of KidZania project.” Together with the mentioned plans to further develop the experience, the project will continue and further grow in 2024.

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The 2024 season can be followed in its entirety on SUPER FORMULA’s very own SFgo platform, where fans can also catch a glimpse of the children enjoying the Out of KidZania experience. Last season, the JRP organized special guided tours for foreign fans coming to Japan for specific SUPER FORMULA rounds to offer a unique viewing experience. The championship fight will be held across nine rounds on five different circuits. The Suzuka Circuit will act as the alpha and omega of the series next year, with both the season opener and season finale being held at the legendary Grand Prix venue on March 8-10 and November 8-10 respectively. SUPER FORMULA will also head to Autopolis, Sportsland SUGO, Mobility Resort Motegi and Fuji Speedway. Newcomers such as reigning Formula 2 champion Théo Pourchaire and young racing sensation Juju Noda will be challenging veterans such as two-time champion Tomoki Nojiri and former Formula 1 driver Kamui Kobayashi.

2024 SUPER FORMULA Calendar (updated on February 15 2024)

Copyright Photos: Japan Race Promotion Co., Ltd. (JRP), Own Archive

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