Shorts: F1, Img, Macclesfield Town

The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the FIA Formula 1 World Championship and Extreme H has announced plans to establish a joint hydrogen working group.

A representative from each organisation will comprise the group that will look to ‘evaluate developments and potential applications for hydrogen within motorsport and wider mobility.’

From Extreme E, Mark Grain the Technical Director will join the group as he leads the series’ transition to Extreme H.

Formula 1’s Chief Technical Officer Pat Symonds will join as a representative for motorsport’s most high-profile series with Nikolas Tombaziz, FIA Single Seater Director, completing the trio.

In a statement, the Hydrogen Working Group described its ambition ‘to monitor the progression and development of hydrogen technology – both for the fuel cells and battery systems which will be used in Extreme H’s first-generation racing chassis – as well as hydrogen technology within race site infrastructure, transportation, charging, storage and management, and its safety implications.’

Mark Grain, Technical Director at Extreme E, said, “It’s a privilege to be working alongside Formula 1 and the FIA as we continue to develop our world-first hydrogen racing proposition. Our transition to Extreme H makes us the pioneers and first-ever testbed of hydrogen technology in motorsport – not only in our racing cars, but also transportation, infrastructure, refuelling processes and safety regulations. It’s a ground-breaking initiative and we look forward to collaborating with Formula 1 and Pat [Symonds] both technically and operationally, as we continue to champion new technologies and break boundaries on behalf of motorsport, with hydrogen at the forefront.”

Global sports, events, and representation company IMG has appointed Luke Organ as Senior Vice President of Global partnerships for the company’s media business.

In the new role, Organ will oversee brand partnership sales for IMG’s media assets including its live sports channels for airlines and cruise ships as well as key media business partners. He will also focus on introduce IMG’s capabilities to new rightsholders and brands.

Organ has an extensive career history most recently serving as Right Formula’s Managing Director, EMEA and APAC. Organ also held roles at Aston Villa FC and Wasps RFC.

Macclesfield Town has announced that Leasing.com has extended its stadium sponsorship in a club record-breaking six-figure deal.

The 5,300-capacity stadium will continue to be named the Leasing.com Stadium at least until the end of the 2026/2027 season.

Bob Trafford, Head of Commercial at Macclesfield Town, said, “I am so pleased that Leasing.com will continue to be our Stadium Sponsor after we agreed a record-breaking three-year extension to their existing deal. There can be no doubt that Leasing.com have etched their name into the overall narrative of Macclesfield FC since they became our first-ever sponsor.

“From a commercial point of view, their commitment has been second to none, and I cannot tell you how pleased I am that we have managed to extend this highly cherished partnership for another three seasons.”

Dave Timmis, Founder at Leasing.com, added, “We recognise the fact that Macclesfield FC is a very special football club in the midst of telling a unique story. Engrained within the local community, the progress that the club have made since their inception is truly staggering.

“We remain truly humbled to have been the club’s first sponsor and are excited to have extended this deal to span until the end of the 2026/27 campaign. Macclesfield FC means a great deal to all of us here at Leasing.com and by making this renewed commitment, we are backing the club to continue the upward trajectory that has captivated us all.”

World Archery has announced a partnership with live video streaming platform Joymo. 

Under the terms of the partnership, Joymo have been appointed as the exclusive provider of its owned and operated over-the-top (OTT) streaming services. 

Joymo will be streaming marquee events like the Hyundai Archery World Cup and the Hyundai World Archery Championships. 

The collaboration has seen Joymo develop new ‘archery.tv’ product, including ‘archery+’ which will host features, documentaries, and qualification events for Paris 2024. 

Tom Dielen, Secretary General of World Archery, said, “We’re partnering with Joymo to create a video hub for archery’s large catalogue of event and feature content, which will now be available in one location to every fan worldwide. Not only will this partnership make the sport easier to access but also allow us to invest additional resources into live production, engaging series and exciting new formats.” 

Hannah Griffiths, VP of Content Acquisition & Partnerships at Joymo, added, “We are delighted that our technical expertise and experience in developing bespoke digital streaming solutions has been recognised by World Archery. This is exactly the type of full-cycle relationship that Joymo thrives on; creating and managing the product but also acquiring top-tier rights so that we are best positioned to support our partners in the long-term growth of their platforms.”