I created this material to complement my presentation of my doctoral thesis. Media representations of environmental sustainability (hereafter: ES) in motorsport, to date, have received little academic attention. This is surprising, considering that recent events such as the Volkswagen scandal (Dieselgate) have reinvigorated the debate about the sustainability and societal relevance of the automotive industry. This, in turn, significantly compromised the existing motorsport landscape by forcing manufacturers to pursue more sustainable forms of motorsport such as the electric racing series Formula E. Embedded in this lies an ideological debate on environmentally sustainable (motor)sport and mobility. Existing studies point out the significance of mainstream media in generating salience for issues such as ES. Research also shows that the media scrutinize fossil fueled motorsport for its unsustainable practices. That said, academic work on whether the media applies the same scrutiny to more recent non-fossil fueled motorsport such as Formula E remains scarce. My Ph.D. aimed to address this void by providing more substantial research, combining the areas of media, ES and motorsport.

1. DRIVING THE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE?
MEDIA REPRESENTATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN MOTORSPORT:
THE CASE OF FORMULA E
Dr. Timothy Robeers

2. Overview
 INTRODUCTION
 THEORETICAL CONCEPTS
 METHODOLOGY
 MAIN RESULTS
 DISCUSSION

3. INTRODUCTION
“When you see all of the emphasis that is put on climate
change, on pollution, I feel we have the responsibility to
participate”
- Jean Todt-
President of the Fédération International d’Automobile
(Motorsport’s governing body)

4. INTRODUCTION

5. FIA FORMULA E?
 2014-2018 (Gen 1) & 2018-present (Gen 2)
 Fully electric & zero emission
 City-centre racing
 Platform for development & promotion of
electric mobility
How do media represent environmental sustainability in an
electric motorsport series such as Formula E?

6. Theoretical Concept 1:
Representation
PRODUCTION OF MEANING
THROUGH MEDIATED INTERACTION
Representation works as much through what is shown as through what is not shown
ACTIVE
INTERPRETATION
POWER RELATIONS
ENCODING & DECODING

7. Theoretical Concept 2:
Representation and Environmental Sustainability
“Sport is sustainable when it meets the
needs of today’s community while
contributing to the improvement of future
sport opportunities for all and the
improvement of the integrity of the natural
and social environment on which it
depends” (Chernushenko, 2011, p. 21)

8. Theoretical Concept 2:
Representation and Environmental Sustainability
Climate Change
as a threat
21st Century Research
Representation works as much through
what is shown as through what is not
shown
Problems for ES in the mediaEnvironmental Sustainability
as a solution

9. Theoretical Concept 3:
Representation and Motorsport
(Motor)Sports-Media Complex
Symbiosis
PARADOX
1894 2019

10. Research Questions
How and to what extent do media represent Environmental
Sustainability in Formula E?
AND
How and to what extent does this affect the overall representation of
Formula E?

11. METHODOLOGY: APPROACHES
FRAMING
“a process whereby a frame suggests which aspects
of reality are selected, rejected. emphasised or
modified in the production of a media text”
(Entman, 1993, p. 52)

12. METHODOLOGY: APPROACHES
FRAMING CASE STUDY
 Analysis of complex phenomenon
 Longitudinal insight
 Exhaustive overview of frames

13. METHODOLOGY: APPROACHES
FRAMING CASE STUDY COMPLIMENTARY
APPROACHES
 Political Economy Analysis
 Archival/ Biographical Analysis

14. SAMPLE
Case study 1
WEBSITE
Case study 2
NEWSPAPER
Case study 3
BROADCAST
Case study 4
ONLINE
MEDIA
Case study 5
ARCHIVAL
Formula E’s
Website
(n = 201)
2015
UK & Flanders
(n = 259)
2012 - 2016
Live UK
Television
(n = 3)
2014/ 2015/ 2016
Articles
(n = 118)
Comments
(n = 632)
2013/ 2015/ 2017
BBC London
Archives
BBC Genome
1945 - 1970

15. MAIN FINDINGS
WEBSITE: ORGANISATIONAL IDENTITY
Significant presence of Environmental Sustainability
Commodification of ES:
Greenwashing
Gamification Glamour Celebrity
Eco Logo’s &
Corporate Adverts

16. MAIN FINDINGS
UK & FLEMISH NEWSPAPERS
counter frame
‘Green Farce’
ES largely as
‘Neglected’ frame
ES part of dominant frame
‘Electric Vehicle Revolution’
UK UK & FLANDERS UK & FLANDERS
Difference also in extent of national coverage

17. MAIN FINDINGS
UK BROADCASTS
BROADCAST 1
‘Strong Ecological Message’ ES as ‘Neglected’ frameBUT
BROADCAST 2 BROADCAST 3
AND ES as ‘Neglected’ frame
ES ‘incompatible’ with traditonal motor racing entertainment values

18. MAIN FINDINGS
ONLINE MEDIA ARTICLES & AUDIENCE COMMENTS
!! Celebrity involvement extends newsworthiness of ES in Formula E !!
‘Saving the Environment’ frame
ARTICLES
• Climate
Change as
threat
• EV’s as
solution
COMMENTS
‘Celebrity Hypocrisy’ frame‘Hollywood Hero’ frame
ARTICLES & COMMENTS
• ‘Practice what
you preach’

19. CONCLUSION
How and to what extent do media represent Environmental Sustainability in Formula E?
1. Dependent on:
• Media type
• Media lens
2. Some important (counter) frame(s)
‘Strong Ecological
Message’
‘Saving the
Environment’
‘Green
Farce’
ES as frivolousES as a solution
‘Neglected’
ES as a concern
BUT often

20. CONCLUSION
3. Lack of ES ensures Formula E as entertaining
How and to what extent does this affect the overall representation of Formula E?
2. Criticisms suggest Formula E as frivolous
[Race commentator]: ‘It’s really people with a love of
motorsport that have put this together RATHER THAN
necessarily from the environmental side’ (ITV 2014).
1. ES as a solution helps
authenticate Formula E

21. FINAL REMARK
Environmental
Sustainability
Formula E
PARADOX

22. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

23. DRIVING THE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE?
MEDIA REPRESENTATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN MOTORSPORT:
THE CASE OF FORMULA E
Dr. Timothy Robeers