Felipe Massa is undaunted as he pursues his $82M “Crashgate” lawsuit and you will find out why in this week’s Business of Motorsport Roundup. I also have details on the F1 rule tweak for 2026 affecting the cost cap, the impact of Liberty Media’s MotoGP deal and much more!
Overview
Motorsport Industry News
FIA Reveal ‘Concessions’ to Teams Ahead of Major F1 Rule Tweak
The FIA’s single-seater financial regulations director has explained how the governing body made “concessions” to F1 teams, with the cost cap set to be increased in 2026. “There have been some adjustments we have been taking into account with setting the cost cap, based on the [worldwide] inflation since 2021, with the accumulated effect being factored into the cost cap level,” Lodi told RacingNews365 in an exclusive interview.
Liberty Media’s $4.5B MotoGP Takeover Puts $400M U.S. Market in Play by 2027
Liberty Media’s €4.2B MotoGP acquisition signals a shift in U.S. motorsports economics. With 2B annual fan impressions and a $400M revenue target by 2027, MotoGP is set to follow Formula 1’s rapid expansion under Liberty’s strategy. Vantage explains how.
F1 announces Azerbaijan GP to Remain on Calendar Until 2030
Formula 1 has announced that the Azerbaijan Grand Prix will remain on the calendar until 2030, locking in the Baku City Circuit through much of the sport’s new era. “This renewal reflects the strong trust and commitment between Formula 1, the Azerbaijani Government, and the promoter, and paves the way for an exciting future in the country.”
Villars Defends FIA Candidacy Against PR Stunt Claims
Laura Villars has hit back at suggestions that her run for the FIA presidency is nothing more than a publicity stunt. “I think now is the right time to not be shy as a woman and to overcome barriers,” she said. “I enjoy competition, and when I set my mind to something, I see it through to the end.”
Meanwhile she has reached out to all member clubs worldwide sending each president a personalized email accompanied by her Profession of Faith. “The FIA is our common home. I have belonged to it all my life, both as a racing driver and as a member of mobility clubs. Today, I want to put this experience at the service of a collective project, built with and for the clubs.”
Quick Takes on the Business of Motorsport This Week
- Horner reaches pay-off settlement with Red Bull F1 team
- Liberty Media’s Motorsport Empire: Why MotoGP Outpaces Formula 1 in Revenue Scalability (AInvest)
- Plans for a streamlined single Hypercar ruleset and tweaked BoP gathering momentum (RACER)
- Reflecting on the FIA WEC’s wild ride to its 100th race (RACER)
- F1 Movie sequel in discussion, says Apple boss Tim Cook (ESPN)
- Fueling Tomorrow’s Leaders: New Programming Prepares Students for Business Careers in Motorsports (Northwood University)
- Flavio Briatore: “Monaco will witness our rebirth in 2026” (Monaco Tribune)
- WRC Rally Italy to switch from Sardinia to Rome from 2027 (Autosport)
- Porsche caught between a slowing China, EV road bumps, and Trump (Reuters)
- Proving Grounds: Why OEs Go All-Out for Off-Road Racing (PRI)
- SEGG Media to Acquire Racing Women (Yahoo Finance)
- How WEC Reached its Landmark 100th Race (Sportscar365+)
- FIA President Launches New Global Task Force to Tackle Rising Costs of Motorsport Insurance (FIA)
- Report: Austin theme park at COTA won’t be arriving as soon as planned (CHRON)
Highlights from the Sustainable Motorsport Roundup
Williams F1 and Reflo Introduce Sustainable Travelwear
Williams F1 and Reflo have partnered to introduce sustainable travelwear made from recycled material and this week’s Sustainable Motorsport Roundup has all the details. I also have news on Mercedes F1’s debut of pioneering bio-based carbon fibre composite material on the Mercedes F1 W16 race car and more!
The Numbers
Motorsports viewership in the U.S. last weekend (via Adam Stern):
1) NASCAR Cup (USA Network): 1.29 million viewers
2) Formula 1 (ESPN): 1.1 million
3) NASCAR Trucks (FS1): 396,000
4) IMSA (NBC): 394,000
5) NHRA (FS1): 187,000
6) ARCA (FS2): 31,000
- ESPN sets new U.S. viewership record for Azerbaijan GP (RACER)
- NASCAR continues historic viewership lows as F1 draws closer (Awful Announcing)
Motorsport Law Roundup
Felippe Massa Seeking $82 million in Crashgate Lawsuit Set for Next Month
Felipe Massa is seeking up to $82 million (£60 million) in damages in the ‘Crashgate’ lawsuit against Formula One Management, the FIA and former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone. According to The Times, Massa will be represented next month by Nick de Marko KC, with the Brazilian having told the British publication ahead of his court appearance: “Accountability is key to preventing future fraud. The hearing is poised to begin at the High Court on October 28.
“Those entrusted with protecting the sport directly violated their duties, and they cannot be allowed to benefit from concealing their own misconduct. Such conduct is unacceptable in any sphere of life, especially in a sport followed by millions, including children. We will pursue this to the very end in order to achieve a just and fair outcome — for myself, for motorsport in Brazil, and for the sport as a whole.”
Meanwhile, Bernie Ecclestone has denied that the sport attempted to cover up details of the scandal. “There is no way in the world anyone could change or cancel that race,” he said, also to The Times. “There is always something going on where someone would like to cancel it if they could. To try to persuade the president of the FIA to call a special meeting where the FIA would have to cancel the race — there were no provisions for that to happen. Max knew there was not enough evidence at the time to do anything. It only started later when young Nelson decided he wanted to say something when he found out he was not going to get a seat for the following year. Max was not saying we should cover this up but just that it was not good for the image of Formula 1.”
How Kimi Räikkönen’s Contract Almost Bankrupted Lotus
Jorgina Donna Wijewardana explains how Kimi Räikkönen performance-based contract almost bankrupted the Lotus F1 team. “Many insiders say Kimi’s unexpected success (and contract structure) accelerated their financial collapse.”
Motorsport Sponsorship, Partnership News and Analysis
- F1 2026: smaller sponsors for smaller cars? (RTR Sports Marketing)
- Chivas Regal and Ferrari Put the Spotlight on Unsung Heroes (Esquire Middle East)
- Cadillac’s new Jim Beam partnership shows the power of nation branding in Formula 1 (The Sponsor)
- Cadillac leverage US links to strike multi-year partnership with Jim Beam (BlackBook Motorsport)
- Mics Out podcast: Why Audi’s F1 car won’t be covered in logos (BlackBook Motorsport)
- MGM Resorts, F1 extend Las Vegas Grand Prix partnership to 2030 (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
- Ferrari’s Groundbreaking Sponsorship Deals (Scuderia Fans)
- Invesco QQQ Hits the Track with New Partnership with United Autosports and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta (Road Atlanta)
- Digital payment innovations shape motorsport sponsorship (Motorsport Week)
- Hot Wheels x Formula 1 Hits the Road with High-Octane Activations (Toy Book)
- How Lenovo is helping to evolve F1 (NSS Sports)
- Classic Collision sponsoring Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports at Las Vegas, Phoenix (Jayskis)
- Coupang Play extend multi-year partnership with Formula 1 to exclusively broadcast Formula 1 in South Korea (Formula 1)
- F1 stays on Sky New Zealand in three-year broadcast rights extension (BlackBook Motorsport)
Team & Manufacturer News
- Porsche’s 963 Dominates IMSA With 5 Straight Wins in 2025, Eyes Unified 2030 Convergence (Vantage)
- Jason Plato plots BTCC return as team owner (Autosport)
- Red Bull F1 team post UK£1.7m profit in 2024 as sponsorships offset rising costs (BlackBook Motorsport)
- Steve Lauletta Details 23XI Racing’s Growth in 2025 (23XI)
- Paul Miller “Keeping Options Open” for 2026 GTD Pro Program (Sportscar365)
- New Toyota GT3 Unlikely to Race in WEC in 2026 (Sportscar365)
- Lamborghini Seeking “Right Partner” to Restart SC63 Effort (Sportscar365)
- First updates arrive for Lamborghini’s SC63, but does the program have a real future? (RACER)
- Turner Motorsport Plotting Pro Class Move for Rothberg, Foley in 2026 (Sportscar365)
- Dale Coyne Racing signs Indy NXT champion Hauger; announces Andretti technical partnership (RACER)
- Genesis hypercar completes first endurance test (RACER)
- Marco Polo Motorsports to Skip Indy Finale to Focus on 2026 Prep (Sportscar365)
- Andretti Global signs ex-Penske leader Ruzewski as team principal (RACER)
- Building a Ford Racing Hypercar Team for 2027 (Ford)
- Ford sets up in-house UK base for WEC Hypercar programme (Autosport)
- What we’ve learned about Ford’s Hypercar programme (The Race)
- Jaguar captures McLaren boss to fill big vacancy (The Race)
- BHA targeting IMSA GTP program with Genesis (RACER)
- The end goal behind Bryan Herta’s massive new venture (RACER)
- Aprilia warns MotoGP ‘may not be attractive’ to manufacturers ahead of 2027 regulation changes (Motorsport Week)
- United Autosports, Tower Motorsports confirm IMSA LMP2 return for 2026 (RACER)
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.
