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Abstract

Developed in cooperation with the Fédération Internationale d’Automobile (FIA) as motor sport’s governing body, the fully electric racing series Formula E represents itself as a driving force in making the motor sport and automotive industries more environmentally sustainable (hereafter: ES). However, the question remains whether such ES efforts are picked up on by the media, and more specifically newspapers that are still considered a benchmark for in-depth and reflective journalism, despite a dramatic rise of online and social media coverage of sport. Combining a quantitative content analysis with a qualitative framing analysis, this article identified, compared and contrasted frames, and the significance of ES herein, in a range of UK and Flemish quality and popular newspapers. Results indicate that, although ES did not constitute a frame in itself, it was significantly part of other frames that represented Formula E both positively and negatively. Additionally, results uncover distinct differences in reporting on (ES in) Formula between UK and Flemish newspapers. This article suggests such differences are related to reasons of a historical and regional nature and subsequently affect the representation of ES in Formula E.

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