Formula E Sells Out Hospitality Category For Saturday’s Berlin ePrix
The less expensive version of Formula E's two hospitality offerings had a price tag of $611 per person and provides guests with an open bar, all-day catering and premium grandstand tickets. Sales of its more exclusive eMotion Club hospitality have also been strong. The eMotion Club, which among other things provides guests with pit lane access and a gift bag, will welcome around 1,000 guests in Berlin at a cost of around $1,667 per person.
Formula E did not provide capacity figures for either of the two hospitality areas at Berlin's Tempelhof Airport. Hans-Jorg Fischer, CEO and founder of Speedway Dienste GmbH, told SBD Global that Race Suite hospitality tickets have been primarily purchased by corporations. He added, "The defined ticket allocations have been sold. But Tempelhof is one of the biggest buildings in the world, so there's not really a limit."
Tempelhof Airport, which ceased operations in '08, will be the host venue for the race. The 2.5km temporary track will be able to accommodate about 30,000 spectators. Formula E said that around 13,000 have been sold so far. Ticket prices range from $21-$66 and are divided into three categories — Gold, Silver and Bronze. SDG, a German consultancy firm with a focus on motorsports, and Berlin-based agency Gil und Weingartner function as the local operators for the Berlin ePrix, which is organized by Formula E Operations. SDG is in charge of the motorsports component of the operation — including building the racetrack — while Gil und Weingartner looks after the entertainment and off-track parts of the event.
Fischer called the construction of the track "relatively unspectacular" and expects work to be completed by Wednesday evening. "We obviously have the advantage that it is a former airport," he said.
"We don't have to deal with traffic and therefore don't have to solve logistical issues in comparison to the races in Miami or Long Beach." However, with Tempelhof Airport being a historic site — as it hosted the Berlin Airlift in '48-49 — SDG was not allowed to drill, hammer or paint on the surface. Fischer explained that track markings were not painted but taped to the ground with the help of a special solution developed by 3M.
He said construction will cost more than $11.1M. SDG expects the electric racing series to return to the German capital during its second season. "I'm convinced that Formula E will come back," Fischer said. "It's a fantastic city with a fantastic [track] location. Also, it is simply too important for the Formula E Championship to have a race in the auto nation Germany." HJ Mai/Sportsbusinessdaily.com