Formula 1 continues to grow its global fanbase and in this edition of the Business of Motorsport Roundup you will get the numbers. I also have the latest motorsport legal news, sponsorship deals and much more.

Motorsport Industry News

Formula 1

Formula One’s global fanbase has grown to 826.5 million in 2024 representing a 12% increase, up nearly 90 million from the previous year, according to new data released by Nielsen Sports. “Formula One’s growth reflects its growing global appeal,” said Jon Stainer, global general manager at Nielsen Sports. “With a more competitive season in 2024 and key markets like the US, China, and Brazil experiencing year-over-year fan growth, F1 continues to strengthen its position as a truly global sport.”

The March/April 2025 issue of Car and Driver looks at the costs of running a Formula 1 team. “The potential benefits can outweigh the costs,” says James Picariello, senior automotive analyst at BNP Paribas, about F1 racing. Read more here.

March 18 was the cut-off date for bidders wanting to hold a South African Grand Prix with Cape Town and Kyalami vying for the honors. “Midrand-based Kyalami is a front-runner as the circuit is certified as grade 2 and is “90% ready” for an F1 race, according to circuit owner Toby Venter. Kyalami last year hired Apex Circuit Design to prepare a road map for FIA grade 1 accreditation, which determined the circuit needed to spend between $5m and $10m to get the required grade 1 rating.”

With the current debate of getting V10s back into F1 in some form or fashion (see Highlights from the Sustainable Motorsport Roundup below), Mercedes F1 boss thinks that anything that shortens the 2026 power unit cycle would make F1 “look silly.”

“We need to be a stable and reliable partner that says: ‘These are the regulations, that is the investment budget, you need to calculate for it’. And then people can join or not. But – before regulations have even started – to say let’s look at the next engine and power unit, I just think it makes Formula 1 look a little bit erratic.”

General Motorsport Industry News

Investment firm Forest Road completed a takeover of the Kiro Formula E team in October and have since added expertise and enterprise to its group of backers.

“Right now, we’re a new entrant and as we work through performance and trying to get the best out of this new chapter, we’re focusing more so on the fandom and attracting new talent,” Forest Road managing director Jeremy Tarica told Autosport Business.

“We’re coming at this with a fresh perspective and unconventional thinking. The reason we think the series is on a growth spurt is because they’re going to where the puck is going. The puck is going to electric vehicles.”

WorldSBK Executive Director Gregorio Lavilla has revealed to Motorsport Week that plans for extra-EU races fell through due to “factors out of our control.”

“Yes, that’s clearly the case. We were planning to do two extra-EU races, we had agreements and contracts with Argentina and Indonesia. Then there were factors out of our control that prevented us from finalising the program. We need to take this up again and do it positively, even though things are changing and with time it seems to get more and more difficult. Costs are rising, but that does not mean we should not try. There are some standing talks, and I would be happy to give some news myself first. But I prefer to wait until there is a concrete foundation.”

Quick Takes on the Business of Motorsport This Week

WRC – Historic all-female stewarding panel oversees Safari Rally Kenya (FIA)
Neurodiversity and the development of AI in Motorsport – an unexpected synergy (Maja Czarzasty-Zybert)
Friends of Laguna Seca Names Motorsports Veteran Mel Harder General Manager of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca (Friends of Laguna Seca)
From the Dance Floor to the F1 Track: Rethinking Sport Leadership (Sportico)
Hyundai Motor has been supporting “grass root motorsports” for nine consecutive years to foster domestic motorsports and expand its base. (Maeil Business Newspaper)
Lewis Hamilton Wants to Make a New Ferrari Supercar Inspired by the F40 (Robb Report)
Investing in Athlete Futures Proves to Be a Hard Sell (Sportico)
Supercars announces new organizational structure (Supercars)
Double today’s footprint: Hoosier expands into EMEA motorsport tyre markets (TyrePress)

Valencia signs deal to remain on MotoGP calendar until 2031 (Motorsport Week)
Hungaroring development moving faster than expected: Ticket sales coming soon (Motorsport.com)
MAVTV acquired, will be rebranded RACER Network (RACER)
Racing Force Group Achieves Strong Financial Growth in 2024 (Web Disclosure)
Motorsports virtual meeting place ‘Fuel for Thought’ announces new schedule (Powersports Business)
Relo Metrics Expands Census Product into Formula One and Advances Sponsorship Valuation for the Global Motorsports Industry (Business Wire)
Right Formula adds five clients in F1 (Sport Business)
AAAA Merges With Foxxtecca: Igniting a New Wave of Automotive Culture and Education (AAAA)

Highlights from the Sustainable Motorsport Roundup

The growing V10 debate in F1 is the highlight of this week’s Sustainable Motorsport Roundup but that’s not all that is covered. I also have news on the LEED certification of Grand Prix Plaza in Las Vegas, the use of renewable energy at racetracks and the technology behind Extreme H. All this plus much more sustainable motorsport news!

The Numbers

F1 on ESPN took the win over IndyCar on Fox — even with a 3am ET start. The Chinese Grand Prix in the wee hours on Sunday drew 824,000 viewers, a record for the event on U.S. airwaves, and up 32% from the same race in 2024 (which was a Chinese GP record 624,000 viewers when it was the fifth race of the season in late April). ESPN peaked at 967,000 viewers for the race. The superlative comes after the Aussie Grand Prix set a record to start the season last week.
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Meanwhile, IndyCar saw a 50% viewership drop on FOX after going head to head with NASCAR as the IndyCar race at Thermal saw a significant drop in viewership from the season-opener at St. Petersburg.

Motorsport Law Roundup

A look at some of the legal and regulatory issues and analysis in Motorsport this week

Hooters has agreed to pay $900,000 to Hendrick Motorsports for not honoring its 2024 sponsorship agreement, according to court records. Hendrick had sued Hooters for $1.705 million, plus interest, for what the company hadn’t paid in 2024 to sponsor Chase Elliott.

The Second Circuit has decided to let a former payday lending executive Scott Tucker, now incarcerated on charges that he ran a fraudulent $2 billion lending scheme, move ahead with a new appeal after hearing that his trial counsel faced blackmail from another client.

Monisha Kaltenborn’s journey from a lawyer to the first female Team Principal in Formula 1 history was marked by determination, resilience and confidence that transcended barriers. She shattered stereotypes of women only working in the sidelines of motorsport and set a precedent for future generations of women in motorsport. Females in Motorsport has her story.

Are you a lawyer involved in the practice of motorsport law in some capacity? I am in the process of creating the Motorsport Law Forum, a networking community that will connect motorsport lawyers globally through both virtual and in-person events. If you are interested, I invite you to answer a survey regarding your interest and your preferences. You can fill out the survey, which should take no more than 5 minutes here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSciu_5lTkFtPLf8qGTWBrLOsvPOMjl8jktmoti2brdisRaMrw/viewform?usp=sharing. Thank you.

Motorsport Sponsorship, Partnership News and Analysis

Here are the latest motorsport sponsorship deals, partnerships and related analysis that were announced this week

Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber partners with Aleph to accelerate Global Digital transformation (Newswire)
Hooters and Hendrick Motorsports Reach Settlement Over Sponsorship Fallout (Athlon Sports)
HSBC returns to F1 after 21 years (Sport Business)
Puma sees eightfold increase in Ferrari sales since Hamilton signing (Sport Business Sponsorship)
Motorcycle Sponsorship: Fro m MotoGP to SBK to the Dakar (RTR Sports Marketing)

Avenga becomes an Official Race Partner of the McLaren Formula 1 Team (Avenga)
Continental-Sponsored USF Pro Championships Kicks-Off 2025 Season (Tire Review)
MotoGP extends anti-piracy partnership with Sportian (BlackBook Motorsport)
Vendors cash in on WRC Safari Rally boom as coca-cola backs businesses (Capital FM)
Enersys renews its battery sponsorship deal with racing Team BRIT (Best Magazine)

Formula E and Google Cloud to empower next-gen talent with Driver Agent (Formula E)
Goodyear Teams with Pull&Bear (License Global)
Bitget Shifts Gears with Porsche Cup Brasil Sponsorship with Driver Flávio Sampaio (Macau Business)
Legacy Motor Club, Nix partner on hydration analysis (Sports Business Journal)
Carrier extends racing sponsorship with Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport (Cooling Post)

Formula E and Race Service launch limited edition collection to celebrate Evo Sessions (Formula E)
VP Racing Announces Multi-Year Sponsorship with Formula Drift Japan (Engine Builder Magazine)
LVMH’s bold branding in F1 sparks luxury marketing debate (Sports Business Journal)
WeTrade Fuels Phantom Global Racing’s Pursuit of Glory at Porsche Carrera Cup Asia 2025 with Josh Rowledge (CBS 4)

Australian brand SafetyCulture to back van Gisbergen in NASCAR (SpeedCafe)
8 Years Strong: SRO Motorsports Group and CrowdStrike (SRO)
BWT Alpine Formula One Team and Perfect Moment to launch capsule skiwear collection in multiyear agreement (Alpine)
WRC secures DACH media rights deal with Sky Deutschland (BlackBook Motorsport)

Mercedes AMG Motorsport Partner With adidas (Daily Sportscar)
Romain Grosjean signs endorsement agreement with Comlux (Business Jet Interiors International)
Rebel with a cause – New Racing Bulls partner aiming to complete the ‘challenger’s code’ (Autosport)
NASCAR’s RCR renews Lucas Oil partnership (BlackBook Motorsport)

The Business of Running a Race Team

Racing Lines Group, a division of Rohde & Liesenfeld (USA) Inc., has launched a specialized shipping service crafted to meet the unique demands of the motorsport industry.

This service tackles one of the biggest headaches in motorsport: getting race cars and critical gear to the track safely and on schedule. By combining Rohde & Liesenfeld’s global logistics network with Racing Lines Group’s specialized expertise, the company offers teams a seamless solution to the logistical challenges of a demanding racing season. Whether it’s Formula cars or pit gear, every item is handled with precision, arriving in peak condition at any race location worldwide.

A defining feature of Racing Lines Group is its management team, which includes accomplished racing car drivers who play an integral role in shaping the company’s operations. Their firsthand experience in the motorsport world ensures that Racing Lines Group understands not only the technical aspects of shipping high-performance vehicles but also the urgency and pressures faced by racing teams. This driver-led expertise sets the company apart, delivering tailored solutions that resonate with the sport’s unique demands.

“We’re not just a shipping company; we’re part of the motorsport family,” said Jan-Ludwig Beringer, CEO of Racing Lines Group. “We’ve built a team that knows what it takes to compete at the highest level. Our drivers in management ensure we deliver a service that teams can trust, so they can focus on the race ahead.”

Team & Manufacturer News

Here is a roundup of the latest team news from around the world of motorsport

Rodin Motorsport: A Team Of Winners (Everything F1)
Black Falcon Return To GT3 With Team EAE Porsche (Daily Sportscar)
Flying Lizard Motorsports Reveals Two-Car Entry in Inaugural McLaren Trophy America Series (Flying Lizard)
Ford makes Australian Mustang GT3 pledge (SpeedCafe)

Ford, HRT ‘Pushing Hard’ on Mustang GT3 Development (Sportscar365)
MISHUMOTORS Callaway Corvette Returns To GT America In 2025 (Daily Sportscar)
BMW & ROWE Racing To Field Single Car For N24 (Daily Sportscar)
ABT Confirm Two Car Lamborghini Entry For N24 (Daily Sportscar)
Wood Brothers business model is still ‘survival’ in modern NASCAR (Sportsnaut)

New car? New rules? Inside Peugeot’s complex WEC situation (The Race)
Bridgestone To Support Five Teams in FIM Endurance World Championship 2025 (Bridgestone)
GT World Challenge Australia team RAM Motorsport quits over driver line-up block (SpeedCafe)
Nissan Confirms SRO America Exit With Z NISMO GT4 (Sportscar365)
Flying Lizard Pulls Plug on Nissan Z NISMO GT4 Program (Sportscar365)

Champions LP Racing Return With Maserati (Daily Sportscar)
Where collapsed takeover plan leaves Maserati MSG Formula E team (The Race)
Barry, Straus to Lead DART Car Initiative in TPC McLaren GT4 (Sportscar365)
RAFA Racing Confirms GT4 Drivers in Expanded Toyota Pirelli GT4 America Effort (Sportscar365)
GMG Racing Plotting Growth With McLaren Program (Sportscar365)

Author: Mark Boudreau

Mark is the publisher of Motorsport Prospects. As a lawyer, he applies his legal background and research skills to assist race drivers by showcasing the resources they need to make their motorsport careers happen.