The Alpine F1 team is an asset in play, and you will find out in this week’s Business of Motorsport Roundup why everyone is angling for a minority share. I also have details on Nigeria’s F1 bid, the challenges of the Freedom 250 race and more.
Overview
Motorsport Industry News
Why Everyone Suddenly Wants a Piece of Alpine
Just over a decade ago F1 was still saying goodbye to manufacturers as grid numbers dwindled in the economic crash fallout, but today teams are so valuable investors are seeking stakes rather than ownership. This creates a dilemma of multiple-team involvement for the championship’s bosses. One such valuable team is Alpine.
“As team valuations climb into the billions, buying an entire operation is proving to be a bigger hurdle than ever and the growing demand raises a very awkward question. What happens when F1 becomes so valuable that investors can no longer afford to buy entire teams? The obvious answer is: buy a minority stake.”
Nigeria Joins Bid to Host an African F1 Race
The National Sports Commission (NSC) has confirmed that Nigeria has submitted an official bid to host a Formula 1 Grand Prix in Abuja. The country joins South Africa and Rwanda in the race to bring the sport back to the African continent for the first time since the 1993 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami.
Full details can be found here.
The £32M Deal that Saved Silverstone
Silverstone is one of motorsport’s most iconic venues, but its future as the home of the British Grand Prix was once far from secure. This fascinating analysis explores the financial decisions, commercial strategy, and long-term vision that transformed the circuit from a struggling promoter into one of Formula 1’s strongest success stories.
Read the full article at Business of Speed to discover how Silverstone pulled off one of the most remarkable turnarounds in modern motorsport.
The Continuing Debate Over F1 Engine Rules
Should the new F1 engine rules include turbocharging? V10s? Refueling? In what seems like a never-ending debate over future F1 engine rules, things aren’t as straightforward as they may seem. Here are two articles from Autosport that look at the complicated debate.
- Road vs race track: Why the 2031 engine debate remains a complicated puzzle
- Why F1 should stop considering a return to refuelling in 2031
IndyCar Navigates Thousand-Page Permit List, Logistical Maze to Set Up Freedom 250 D.C. Race
INDYCAR’s Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington D.C. could be one of the most logistically intricate street races in series history, but it’s betting that the return will be worth the sizable investment.
Event chairman Bud Denker, who is also president of Penske Corporation, is spending most of his time living in D.C. and has a 1,012-page long permit book for the August 23 race. He’s meeting on a daily basis with a labyrinth of government groups, politicians, security agencies (like the Secret Service, Capital Police and U.S. Park Police), military branches, local businesses, apartment complexes, museums, transportation systems and broadcasters to get ready.
Prices for 45 suites in a three-story hospitality structure on the start/finish line are going for $200,000-$250,000 per unit and being sold with Monumental Sports & Entertainment, along with a similar 33-suite structure facing the Washington Monument; 72 of the 78 have been sold. https://lnkd.in/eAMp9ixS
Read the full article at Sports Business Journal here.
Ben Sulayem Removes the Ceiling
The balance of power within motorsport’s governing body may be shifting. This insightful analysis examines how FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s latest governance changes could strengthen his position while raising important questions about accountability, oversight, and the future direction of the FIA. Read the full article at Business of Speed for a deeper look at what these developments could mean for the sport.
MotoGP Wants to be a ‘Mainstream Sport in the UK’ Again
MotoGP wants to return to being “one of the mainstream sports in the UK”, according to the series’ new communications director Michael Gibson. “It’s going to be a long-term thing, it’s not a short-term fix and it’s not going to be short-term results. Not suddenly are we going to fill out Silverstone in six weeks’ time, but what we’d like to do is convert some interest, create some intrigue, and show that MotoGP has got so much to offer fans of all levels.”
Read the full article at BlackBook Motorsport.
Motorsports Health 2026: Why Racing Is Stronger Than It Looks
Motorsports health 2026 is not a simple story of boom or decline. Racing is healthy, but unevenly healthy. Endurance racing is strong. NASCAR remains a major American sports property. IndyCar has a very good product and better visibility. GT and customer racing still have real commercial logic. Dirt racing is energized. Short track racing is visible again. Grassroots racing is not dead. It is changing shape. The most honest answer is this: motorsports is strong at the top, active at the bottom, and under real pressure in the middle.
Read the full analysis at Crown here.
Inside NASCAR’s San Diego Success: Viewership, Social Reach and Fan Growth Surge
NASCAR’s inaugural San Diego race delivered far more than an exciting weekend of racing. Strong television ratings, impressive social media engagement, and a remarkable number of first-time attendees suggest the event successfully reached new audiences and expanded the sport’s fan base. Read the full article at Speedway Digest to see the numbers behind one of NASCAR’s biggest success stories of the season.
Adelaide in Talks to Host NASCAR ‘Match Racing’
Supercars chiefs travelled to the US in May hoping to secure a six-car demo for the Gold Coast 500, featuring retired stars. While complications resulting from the timing of NASCAR’s Chase are believed to have scuppered the plan, Supercars hasn’t given up on the concept entirely. SpeedCafe explains why here.
Why Silverstone’s Return to the WEC is About More than Just Restoring a Lost Race
Silverstone’s return to the FIA World Endurance Championship is about much more than restoring a popular race to the calendar. This insightful analysis explores why the championship’s return to Britain is strategically important for manufacturers, fans, and the long-term growth of endurance racing, while examining what it will take to make the event a lasting success. Read the full article at RACER for the complete story.
Quick Takes on the Business of Motorsport This Week
- Inside Dallara: Touring The Quiet Powerhouse Of Global Motorsport (Gentleman Racer)
- FIA Delivers Strongest Set of Financial Results in a Decade (FIA)
- Can Formula 1 embrace AI without losing its soul? (Fast Company)
- Formula 1 and ServusTV extend free-to-air broadcast partnership in Austria (F1)
- Atlanta Motorsports Park and Primal Motorsports Continue to Strengthen Partnership as Adam Boatman Named CEO (AMP)
- IndyCar navigates thousand-page permit list, logistical maze to set up Freedom 250 D.C. race (Sports Business Journal)
- Malaysian Grand Prix confirms stay on the MotoGP calendar until 2031 (Motorsport Week)
- Despite schedule setback, Qatar steadily building a foundation in motorsports via WEC (RACER)
- 10 Reasons NHRA Isn’t Like Any Other Racing Series (Autoweek)
- IROC Joins IndyCar At Freedom 250 Grand Prix Of Washington D.C. (Forbes)
- Goodyear LMP2, LMGT3 Supply Deal Extended to 2029 (Sportscar365)
- Monaco Grand Prix 2026: A charter editor’s debrief from race week (Boat International)
- The Formation launches as first community built for female F1 fans (Sector)
- MotoGP lands in London: Five ways to further immerse new fans (Oliver Card)
- Full charge: Is China becoming motorsport’s hottest market? (CCTN)
- The Business of a Circuit (Jaime Costa)
- Just the ticket: Silverstone sales boom as British fans also look abroad (Sector)
- Why aren’t female F1 team principals more common? (RACER)
- 75 years and counting: June was a celebration of Porsche Motorsport (Porsche)
- Luxury Motorsport Travel Partnerships (Trend Hunter)
- Pirelli eyeing $1 billion U.S. investment, solidifies company leadership (Tire Business)
- NASCAR teams with Motorsport Network to expand reach of digital efforts (SBJ)
Highlights from the Sustainable Motorsport Roundup
Barcelona-Catalunya Leads Latest Sustainable Circuits Index Rankings
The Barcelona-Catalunya circuit once again heads the list of the world’s most sustainable race circuits, and I have the details in this week’s Sustainable Motorsport Roundup. I also have details on the sustainability progress of Mercedes F1 and much more!
The Numbers This Week
- Powered By Gen Z, Formula 1 Hits Estimated 831 Million Fans Worldwide (Forbes)
- NASCAR’s second year on Prime Video jumps 6% YoY to 2.29m viewers (BlackBook Motorsport)
- British GP ticket sales surge 14% YoY as F1 popularity boom continues (BlackBook Motorsport)
Motorsport Law Roundup
Corruption and Integrity in Sport: Enforcement, Governance and Emerging Risks
Corruption in sport, including match-fixing, betting manipulation, bribery and the abuse of governance positions, reaches almost every sport and affects both on and off the field performance. Whist the awareness of corruption has increased over the years, the prosecution and enforcement has had to become more extensive to tackle the sophisticated of corrupters, for example the increasing reliance of evidence obtained from downloads from phones and computers.
However, this this change, a familiar pattern still exists where vulnerable participants are drawn into wrongdoing, while governing bodies wrestle the commercial, legal, political and integrity interests of their sports. Adding to this the growing number privately organised events that fit awkwardly within existing rules, governance structures, and competition formats that invite manipulation, and prediction markets that may escape gambling regulation.
These issues were examined in a recent webinar hosted by LawInSport on corruption and integrity in sport. You can read a summary of the webinar here.
Latest from the International Sports Law Journal
International Sports Law Journal – new articles now online by Ben Köhler and Antoine Duval, which will be part of the Special Issue, ‘Dispute Resolution in Sport: Current Realities and Future Prospects,’ and by James Rennie. All are available here: https://link.springer.com/journal/40318
SLAS Elections Set to Proceed Under Existing Regulations After Legal Breakthrough
All parties concerned have agreed to a recommendation by the Attorney General’s Department to conduct the election of office-bearers of the Sri Lanka Automobile Sports (SLAS) under the existing regulations. The SLAS elections have been pending for more than two years following an injunction obtained by one of its affiliates, the Sri Lanka Association of Racing Drivers and Riders (SLARDAR).
In addition, the Ceylon Motor Sports Club (CMSC) has also sought judicial redress, claiming that it was suspended for corresponding with the world governing body for motorsport, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), as Sri Lanka’s affiliate. The CMSC was granted time to present further facts should it wish to continue the legal process.
Full details can be found here.
Motorsport Sponsorship, Partnership News and Analysis
- Aston Martin Aramco and Zscaler redefine speed and security (Aston Martin F1)
- TGR Haas F1 Team Announces Partnership with NeverMile (Haas F1)
- SBI Holdings Inc. And Las Vegas Grand Prix, Inc. Enter into Official Presenting Partner Agreement for the Formula 1 Heineken Las Vegas Grand Prix as Part of Its SBI Neo-Media Ecosystem Strategy (LVGP)
- SBI Holdings signs Las Vegas GP partnership as springboard for global push (Sector)
- A sport insider’s perspective on F1’s commercial revolution (The Race)
- How F1 sponsorship moved on from ‘stickers on cars’ (The Race)
- Inside Chivas Regal’s Partnership with Ferrari & Charles Leclerc (Paddock Journal)
- From Spend to Return: How Motorsport Sponsorship Delivers Measurable Media Value for Global Brands? (The Spread)
- Guy Edwards: The Racing Driver Who Changed Motorsport Forever (The Sports Hub)
- HMD Motorsports Announce Partnership with Tremble Carmel (RTR)
- 3M joins Cadillac Formula 1 Team as Official Material Science Partner to accelerate racing performance (3M)
- 3M’s F1 debut signals the kind of partner Cadillac is building toward (Sector)
- Cadillac F1 continues ‘selective’ approach to partnerships with 3M deal (BlackBook Motorsport)
- What the smartest F1 team sponsors understand early (Rush S&E)
- LEGO brings 22 drivable minicars to F1 British GP drivers parade (Sector)
- The Lenovo Case: Why a Tech Brand Chose Ducati MotoGP (RTR Sports Marketing)
- How this historic partnership supports Scuderia Ferrari HP’s performance (The Race)
- Jean English on how CoreWeave is unleashing AI’s full potential – and why it matters to Adrian Newey (Aston Martin F1 Team)
- The Experiential Marketing Comeback NASCAR Sponsors Should Be Thinking About (Brad Zimmerman)
- BWT Alpine Formula One Team and Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm combine to promote British farm food at the British Grand Prix (Alpine)
The Business of Running a Race Team
Ron Capps Leads the Standings. He’s Still Worried About Paying the Bills
Success on the track doesn’t always translate into financial security off it. Despite leading the NHRA Funny Car standings, Ron Capps opens up about the economic realities of running an independent race team, highlighting the sponsorship challenges and rising costs that continue to shape professional drag racing. Read the full article at Autoweek for an insightful look behind the scenes of the business of motorsport.
Team & Manufacturer News
- Gucci Racing is Benetton 2.0 warns Flavio Briatore as end of Renault-Alpine in Formula 1 approaches (Grand Prix 24/7)
- David Floury explains how Toyota returned to the top at Le Mans (The Stint Podcast)
- How Honda used F1’s five-week gap to remedy major Aston Martin issue (Motorsport Week)
- Team Qatar eyes WEC prototype future after Le Mans debut (Gulf Motorsport Business)
- Duracell’s Global CMO on why perception matters more than visibility (The Sponsor)
- Five takeaways from Newey’s revealing interview on Aston Martin’s F1 2026 woes (Autosport)
- Lamborghini Building 100 Temerario Super Trofeo Cars (Sportscar365)
- Lamborghini In “Critical Years” As Temerario Rollout Continues (Daily Sportscar)
- Envision Racing and Jaguar extend customer relationship into GEN4 era (Formula E)
- Food Network’s Guy Fieri Joins NASCAR’s Legacy Motor Club As An Owner (Forbes)
- How Goodyear is Building for a Long-Term Future in Sports Car Racing (Sportscar365+)
Motorsport Movers & Shakers
Emily Prazer Joins the Forbes World’s Most Influential CMOs List
Emily Prazer oversees the commercial strategy for one of global sports’ fastest-growing entities. In 2025, Formula 1 generated a record $3.87 billion in revenue, with attendance reaching 6.75 million and viewership up 21% year-over-year as the sport expanded from motorsport into broader entertainment, media, hospitality and consumer experiences.
She led the development and launch of the Las Vegas Grand Prix—one of modern sports’ most ambitious events—establishing it as a premier commercial and hospitality platform and securing a long-term extension through 2037.
Prazer joins the Forbes World’s Most Influential CMOs list. Read more about the 2026 listers here.
Author: Mark Boudreau
Mark is the publisher of Motorsport Prospects and the host of the Motorsport Prospects Podcast. 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.
