All eyes will be on the Sepang International Circuit at the weekend for the 16^th edition of Formula 1 Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix. Whilst it is perhaps likely to be a much more subdued event than usual against the backdrop of (at the time of writing) the missing MH370 flight it remains a key date on the F1 calendar and the juggernaut that is F1 racing will press ahead.

Per sportsperson, Formula One (F1) is arguably the world’s most expensive sport to compete in. The leading team, Red Bull Racing, spent about $13.5 million a race or over $270 million last season. Even the worst performing team of the season, Marussia, spent $5.4 million a race. Ferrari, the biggest spending F1 team, had an estimated budget of $470 million in 2013. The engine changes mandated for the 2014 season have only added to the tally; over $500 million has already been spent in development costs.

Consequently, and fortunately, the sponsorship market that is its lifeblood remains healthy with sponsors attracted to the sport due to its 500 million TV views per year, the income of its fans and the loyalty that they show to brands; motorsport fans can be up to three times more brand loyal than fans of other sports.

Of course most brands don’t have deep enough pockets for sponsorship of F1 but for the smart brand who wants to find a way to reach this valuable audience, or indeed, find out if their product and service is relevant to them, we analysed the online behaviour of 55,225 F1 fans across our network in South East Asia in September of last year and compared them with the behaviours of a further 1.7 million sports fans in the region. By doing this we could see if our preconceived notions of their lifestyle and interests were upheld or not.

James Hunt or Niki Lauda

Perhaps unsurprisingly out of all the 18 categories  of  sports fans we looked at, F1 fans showed the most interest in the movie Rush, a biopic about the rivalry between playboy, bon viveur and most definitely upscale  James Hunt and more down to earth, home loving, analytical Niki Lauda.  But which driver’s interests and values did the South East Asian fans most mirror? Our findings both confirmed and challenged our expectations.  Well as you might imagine someone like James Hunt might have been a sucker for the latest widgets and gadgets and F1 certainly play to this image. No other sports fan in South East Asia are more interested in Apple desktops, Xbox One or Sony PS4. Similarly, F1 fans are more likely than any other sporting audience to be interested in mobile phones. This extends to every generation of iPhone, as well as Motorola and LG smartphones (but don’t try and sell them a ring-tone; they are the least interested in these out of all sports fans!).

Their taste for the finest also extends to what they drive. A love of high-performance cars extends beyond the track having the highest interest in sports cars amongst fans of other leading sports. South East Asian fans are more likely to be interested in sports cars followed by golf, boxing and basketball fans.

But this love of the finer things comes at a cost and by the look of their interests F1 fans either have the money or are aware they need to fund their desires as soon as possible. South East Asian F1 fans are more focused on international business than any other sports fan in South East Asia. No other sporting audience has more interest in e-commerce or currency conversion, with only golf and tennis fans having a higher interest in business travel.

Despite this, F1 fans in the region are certainly not all work and no play. Still playing to the fun loving James Hunt character, in addition to their hyper interest in video games consoles they also have the highest interest in theme parks out of all sports fans in the region.

Their other hobbies, much like the sport itself, tend to be technologically complicated. South East Asian F1 fans take photography seriously, and can be found researching high-end DSLR cameras as well as individual components such as camera lenses.

Perhaps lending itself more to the Niki Lauda lifestyle, the fans are also a practical bunch with no other sports audience in the region being more into DIY. In line with his low key personality, South East Asian F1 fans are also indifferent to celebrity culture, with the lowest interest of any sports fans in movies and celebrities; something potential advertisers to this market should take note of when planning campaign executions in the entertainment sector.

So, on balance, the fans that you will see out and about this weekend have more than a little in common with the fast living racing drivers on the track. Gadgets, sports cars and phones make their pulses race but there is a practical determined side too with their keen interest in business, currency markets and DIY that hold tremendous potential for smart brands to connect with this affluent passionate group of petrol heads.