SINGAPORE — Liberty Media’s recent US$8 billion (S$10.9 billion) takeover of Formula One — a deal that is expected to eventually lead to the departure of long-time F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone — has raised many questions over the future direction of the sport.

Under Ecclestone, who turns 86 next month, the sport has largely resisted utilising new media. As a result, it has fallen behind in the ever-evolving digital marketplace. Instead, Ecclestone has remained focused on generating revenue for F1 through trackside advertising, television rights and race hosting fees.

However, because pay-per-view channels are increasingly the only broadcasters who can afford to pay for television rights, global television audiences for the sport have been decreasing. According to media reports, the overall television audience has fallen by a third from 600 million in 2008, and continues to slide.

But with American conglomerate Liberty Media bringing their extensive expertise in new media on board the F1 global circus, the sport is expected to undergo a digital transformation in the near future.

And McLaren-Honda driver Jenson Button believes this could have a galvanising effect on the sport’s efforts to attract the next generation of motorsport fans.

“I hear that they’re (Liberty Media) interested in bringing in social media and getting youngsters involved in the sport and that is what I think the sport needs,” said the 2009 F1 world champion who arrived here yesterday.

“The average age of the F1 fan now is about late-30s, which is higher than it should be.

“So of course we need to start working with a younger fan base. The world now is very different, and we need to use the technology in place to attract new people to this fantastic sport.

“It has to be put in the right areas for the youngsters, who are now on their phones most of the time. People sitting in front of the TV or in the grandstand for an hour and a half … it doesn’t happen now.

“I bet there’s not one person in the grandstand who doesn’t look at their phone at least once during a race, which is a shame, but that’s how it is. I think it’s all about understanding the youngsters and knowing how to get them involved in F1, because there are many ways to liven it up, and it needs to happen.”

Fittingly, Button was sharing his observations at the Esso and McLaren-Honda Supreme+ Surprise event yesterday, which saw him turn up at the Esso station at Toa Payoh Lorong 2 to meet local F1 fan Yasser Abdul Razak, who had won Esso’s “Who is Singapore’s biggest McLaren-Honda fan?” social media competition.

However, the Englishman will not be in the driver’s seat to witness the impact that Liberty Media will have on the F1 next year.

The 36-year-old recently confirmed that he would be taking a break from the sport for a year after this season, although he recently signed a two-year deal to continue in an ambassadorial role for McLaren-Honda.

While many people have taken this to be a sign that Button has called time on his racing career, the Briton insists it is not the end of the road for him in the F1 driver’s seat.

“In my contract, there is still an option for me to come back as a race driver in 2018, and that’s something that I could do for sure,” explained Button. “For now, I just need a break from the sport because I’ve been in it for so long. It’s a physically and mentally demanding sport and so it’ll be nice to have a break, relax, breathe and plan things that are different for me normally.

“I want to do triathlons next year, I want to qualify for the world championships as an amateur. That’s my aim for now, and I’ll come back so much fitter in 2018 if I’m racing.”

With just seven races left this season, including this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, things are heating up at the top of the drivers’ championship as Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg battle for the title. Hamilton currently leads the standings on 250 points but German team-mate Rosberg’s two wins in a row in the Belgian and Italian GPs have cut his lead to just two points.

Button however, is still tipping Hamilton to come out on top again come the end of the season.

“It’s very close at the moment, but I think Hamilton will win it eventually because he has history on his side having won the last two titles,” said Button. “It will be interesting to see them battle it out in Singapore however, because the nature of the track here, with its twists and sharp turns, makes it hard for the Mercedes car and they could be put under pressure by the Red Bulls.”