Article Luxury Tribune : does Squeezie’s GP Explorer Have the Potential to Attract the Luxury Industry?

On June 4, in just under two hours, Squeezie—one of France’s most popular YouTubers and streamers—sold 200,000 tickets for the third edition of the GP Explorer, during a live Twitch stream. The Formula 4 race, now wildly popular in France and gaining ground across Europe, will be held not just over a single day like in previous years, but over an entire weekend in early October. The location remains unchanged: amateur drivers will battle it out over 15 laps on the legendary Bugatti Circuit in Le Mans, home of the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. The event is fully sold out, expecting 40,000 spectators on Friday and 80,000 on both Saturday and Sunday.

“GP Explorer is an ambitious project with major influence, and real potential for luxury”
Anthony Schaub

Once again, the lineup is designed to resonate with a younger audience—but this year, the ambition has grown: 22 teams have been formed, mixing internet celebrities, rappers, and comedians. For the first time, international teams are joining, including American streamers Ludwig and Michael Reeves, expanding the potential global audience. Key pairings include Squeezie and Amine, Gotaga and Nikof, Maghla and Lea Elui, and Mister V and PLK.

SCH, one of France’s hottest rappers, will make his debut this year, as will famed YouTuber Mister V and the female content duo Kaatsup and Ana, who will drive Alpine single-seaters. The weekend agenda is packed: opening ceremonies and concerts on Friday; free practice, qualifying rounds, a new 8-lap sprint race, a main race, and more concerts on Saturday; and the final race on Sunday.

“Brands are waiting to better understand the audience, but I think they’ll come around”
Jorge S. B. Guerreiro

A major first this year—highlighting the event’s rising profile—is that France Télévisions will broadcast the free practice, qualifiers, and race on France 2 and the France TV streaming platform. The experience is set to be more immersive than ever, featuring onboard cockpit microphones allowing live pilot-team exchanges, real-time communication with engineers, a sponsor village, and multilingual streaming.

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Written by Justine Offredi