There’s a reason the term “fanatic” has been applied to the tens of millions of people who obsessively follow a given team, athlete, or sport. First of all their loyalty, with apologies to Penny Marshall, is in a league of its own. It’s no exaggeration to say that many fans – myself included – are notoriously devoted to their favorite athletes and teams for their entire lives. They (and by “they” again I mean “I”) also pour lots of time, money, energy, and often emotional capital into the objects of their fascination.

So, it’s not only the right thing to reward the loyalty of the existing fan base and attract new converts, it is also smart business. Creating intriguing, interactive programs helps ensure that fans have fun every time they engage—virtually or in the real-world— with their franchise. And that enjoyment should apply not only during the heat of competition, but in the “downtime” before and after the season as well.

Earlier this year, Oracle announced an exciting new partnership with Red Bull Racing Honda, the four-time Formula 1 World Champion team. As part of that partnership, we are working with the Red Bull Racing Honda team to help them enhance the experience for their fans around the world, and today, I’m excited to share more on how we’re helping the team achieve this.

First, The Red Bull Racing Paddock, a one-of-a-kind loyalty program within Formula 1 racing, is now available. The Paddock delivers a unique personalized experience to each fan to bring them closer than ever to the race action, and make them feel like they are truly a member of the Red Bull Racing Honda team.

Using Oracle CrowdTwist Loyalty and Engagement, The Paddock rewards fans for both their in-person and digital interactions with the Red Bull Racing Honda team with money-can’t-buy rewards.

For example, if fans build a profile or read driver profiles on the Red Bull Racing Honda web site, they earn points. They earn more points each time they watch race highlights, take quizzes, find hidden codes, and refer friends. As their points accrue, they can level up from Red Bull Racing Honda Driver to Red Bull Racing Honda Legend, and redeem points for merchandise, digital downloads, autographed items, unforgettable VIP experiences, and more.

Since launching last week, The Red Bull Racing Paddock loyalty program has already generated substantial engagement, including significant growth in their fan account members, and earned kudos from fans around the world.

The Paddock loyalty program is the first of many fan-focused initiatives to come from Oracle and Red Bull Racing Honda, and we look forward to sharing more as we work to create the best possible fan experiences for the many people who share a passion for Red Bull Racing Honda.

For more information on The Red Bull Racing Paddock loyalty program, please visit: https://www.redbull.com/int-en/redbullracing/fans

For more information on Oracle and Red Bull Racing Honda, please visit: https://www.oracle.com/redbullracing/

Tune in to watch Sergio Perez, Max Verstappen and the Red Bull Racing Honda team compete in the United States Grand Prix, October 21-24 in Austin, TX.