The average F1 team is now valued at $3.42 billion, and you will find out why in this week’s edition of the Business of Motorsport Roundup. I also have a peak at Audi’s F1 car for 2026, the latest sponsorship deals and developments in motorsport law plus much more.

Overview

Motorsport Industry News

F1 Team Values: Ferrari Leads, Average Up 48% to $3.42 Billion

In an ironic sense of timing, the week that Toto Wolff is reputedly selling his stake in the Mercedes F1 team, Sportico has released their annual F1 team valuation list for 2025. The 10 teams on the grid in 2025 are worth $3.42 billion on average, up 48% from a year ago and more than double Sportico’s 2023 F1 team valuations, when the average was $1.61 billion.

“It’s a great time to be in Formula 1, as I think the pie is growing for everyone,” Jefferson Slack, head of the commercial operations at Aston Martin, said in a phone interview. “The sport is moving towards a very healthy ecosystem. I think it is already there.”

How the Las Vegas Grand Prix is Staking Its Claim for F1 Crown Jewel Status

After a polarizing debut in 2023, the Las Vegas Grand Prix has established itself as one of Formula One’s most commercially impactful events. With continued investments in logistics, fan engagement and year-round experiences, organizers want to reimagine what a race can be. BlackBook Motorsport looks at how the Las Vegas Grand Prix is staking its claim for F1 crown jewel status. “It’s our home in North America. We own it, we operate it, we’re here 24/7, so there’s a slightly different mentality around it.”

One issue that could potentially affect this year’s Grand Prix is the recently resolved US government shut-down reports Forbes.

Meanwhile, the Las Vegas Review Journal reports that a longer-term deal to keep the Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix in Southern Nevada into the next decade is being eyed by race and area officials as the 2025 edition approaches. “Early talks are underway between the LVCVA and F1 on striking a new deal for between five and 10 years, according to LVCVA president and CEO Steve Hill. That would keep Grand Prix in Las Vegas every year on the weekend before Thanksgiving through 2032 or even as late as 2037.”

F1’s Indian GP Took the Money and Left – Could It Ever Return?

With all the coountries aiming to host a Grand Prix in the coming years, could India be back on the grid any time soon? Probably not until issues such as taxation clouded the Indian Grand Prix when it ran from 2011-2013.

“In fairness, we should note that the Indian government and local authorities did not exactly roll out the red carpet for F1 in 2011, 2012, or 2013. The state of Uttar Pradesh, where the Buddh International Circuit is situated, classified F1 as ‘entertainment’ rather than ‘sport’, thereby depriving the event of tax breaks and athletic subsidies. Labyrinthine bureaucracy, customs wrangles, red tape by the country-mile, and a lack of systematic support all weighed heavily on teams and organisers.”

IMSA’s 3M Fan Ecosystem: How 70% TV Growth Fuels Michelin Innovation Through 2035

IMSA surpasses 3M followers as Michelin extends its partnership through 2035. With 70% TV growth and data-driven fan engagement, endurance racing accelerates innovation and sustainability across platforms. Vantage explains.

How a Former F1 Marketer is Building Fandom for Formula E

Marketing Brew profiles CMO Ellie Norman, the former F1 marketer who is now in charge of marketing the all-electric Formula E Championship. “One of the things I’ve spoken about inside the organization is, ‘How do we become the defining motorsport for youth culture?’” Norman said. “That’s a very deliberate set of words, but for me, youth culture isn’t about age. It literally is an attitude.” Read more at Marketing Brew here.

NASCAR’s $7.7B Media Shift: How Multi-Race Championships Could Drive 25% Engagement Growth by 2027

NASCAR’s $7.7B media deal faces mounting pressure after a 23% playoff viewership drop. Analytics suggest multi-race championship formats could restore consistency and boost engagement 25% by 2027. Vantage does a deep dive on the potential.

Thailand Signs New Deal While MotoGP Looks to China

In MotoGP news, the Chang International Circuit in Thailand will remain on the MotoGP calendar after agreeing a new five-year deal through the 2031 season. Meanwhile, MotoGP promoter Dorna Sports is in early discussions to bring the Chinese Grand Prix back to the calendar after nearly two decades.

Quick Takes on the Business of Motorsport This Week

Campos Racing and Blinker strengthen the link between motorsport and business leadership at the “Blinker Executive Experience (Campos Racing)
Silverstone owners seek new investment for development plans (Business MK)
L’Equipe retains 24 Hours of Le Mans domestic rights until 2029 (SportsPro)
Ford v Everything: 2026 Ford Racing takes on major on-and-off track titles (The Detroit News)
TCR Denmark promoter steps down (Touring Car Times)
Apple TV racks up Grammy nominations with ‘F1 The Movie’ and ‘Severance’ (AppleInsider)
NASCAR highlights promotional gains from Driver Ambassador Program (RACER)

Little-known hilltop race track in New Zealand listed for sale (SpeedCafe)
The MIA celebrates the success of CTS 2025 (Motorsport Industry Association (MIA))
SEMA and PRI Bring ‘Right to Race’ Campaign to Michigan Tracks (PRI)
This Historic Alabama Drag Strip Is Shutting Down After Nearly Half A Century Of Racing (Jalopnik)
NASCAR unveils 2026 broadcast schedules (SpeedCafe)
JA on F1: How influencers are growing F1 audiences in the US (Autosport)
F1 Academy secures continued support from all Formula 1 teams (SIG)

Highlights from the Sustainable Motorsport Roundup

Porsche Talks Tech Crossover With Formula E

Porsche recently demonstrated the tech crossover between Formula E and their Cayenne EV and this week’s Sustainable Motorsport Roundup looks at how Formula E can influence EV design. I also have more details on the Formula E Gen4 race car and more!

The Numbers This Week

2025 Brazilian Grand Prix

304,000 Attend 2025 Sao Paulo Grand Prix (GP Destinations)
F1 Brazil GP averages 784k viewers on ESPN2 (BlackBook Motorsport)

Motorsport Law Roundup

Court is Expected to Issue Ruling December 3 in FIA Governance Case

This year’s FIA Presidential elections are poised to receive greater clarity next month following court proceedings in Paris as the court is expected to issue its ruling on December 3 in response to presidential candidate Laura Villars’ legal proceedings.

NASCAR Can’t Oust Teams’ Damages Expert In Antitrust Trial

NASCAR can’t block a damages expert from testifying at trial about potentially hundreds of millions of dollars in losses supposedly suffered by two teams suing the stock car racing company for alleged antitrust violations, a North Carolina federal judge ruled Wednesday.

Hendrick, Penske to be Deposed in NASCAR Antritrust Case

Rick Hendrick and Roger Penske will be deposed in the NASCAR antitrust lawsuit as ordered by U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell. Bell made his ruling Tuesday. The NASCAR Hall of Fame team owners had filed a request to avoid being deposed, or at least have limitations on their testimony. Bell, however, denied both.

Motorsport Sponsorship, Partnership News and Analysis

The Power of Rebranding (Drive Sports Marketing)
MotoGP 2026: which rider to sponsor? The complete guide (RTR Sports Marketing)
Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) Announces Christopher John Ltd. as Official Partner Celebrating British Motorsport Heritage (HSR)
How Tobacco Sponsorship Shaped—and Ultimately Left—Formula One (LemonWire)
Disney Store Revs Up F1 Partnership With First-Ever Racing-Inspired Merch and Apparel Collection (Variety)
Formula 1 Enhances Disney Partnership As Broadcast Deal Ends (Forbes)
Major sponsor Tyrepower set for Supercars team switch (SpeedCafe)

Grill’d backtracks on Piastri burger deal (SpeedCafe)
Grill’d leans into Piastri ‘burger curse’ with cheeky apology (SpeedCafe)
2025 Casino Sponsorships Driving Motorsports Revenue (Speedway Media)
AJ Foyt Racing expands veteran support program to full season (Motorsport Week)
Why LVMH Is Going Bigger in Texas (Vogue)
Firestone Returns as Presenting Sponsor of Road Racing Drivers Club Evening with Derek Bell MBE in Long Beach on April 16, 2026 (CatchFence)
“It’s a movement”: why ELEMIS and Aston partnership is more than it seems (Sector)

Atlassian Williams Racing Gulf Driven by Words Livery

The Business of Running a Race Team

Inside the Operation That Powers Formula 1 Every Weekend

Boardroom went behind the scenes with the BWT Alpine Formula 1 team for an exclusive look inside the team’s garage, aka, the high-tech heart of every race weekend. “I recently went behind the scenes with the BWT Alpine Formula 1 team to see what goes into building, operating, and breaking down one of the sport’s most advanced mobile workspaces. The garage is part lab, part logistics hub, and part nerve center for race weekend strategy.”

Team & Manufacturer News

Penske Rules Out Independent Porsche 963s for WEC Next Year (Sportscar365)
Manthey’s LMGT3 dominance a reward for hard work (RACER)
Manthey confident of WEC 2026 entry despite Porsche Hypercar exit (Autosport)
Ex-Lamborghini motorsport boss Sanna to lead McLaren GT programmes (Autosport)
Wendl: Mercedes-AMG “Needs to Find a Way” to Return to Macau (Sportscar365)
Cadillac F1 Hires Creator-Focused CMO (Business of Speed)

Ferrari extends WEC contract to move in line with Hypercar cycle (Ferrari Hypercar)
Ferrari president hits out at F1 drivers as cracks show (The Race)
CEO Dick Noble to depart Dick Johnson Racing (V8 Sleuth)
Arden to return to GB3 in 2026 with its GB4 graduate Leon Wilson (Formula Scout)
Have Audi Just Confirmed A Fabled Return To The WEC? (Overtake)

DragonSpeed switches to Corvette for 2026 IMSA GTD PRO campaign (RACER)
Red Bull and Racing Bulls to launch 2026 with Ford in Detroit (RACER)
Genesis Magma Racing begins performance testing of new GMR-001 LMDh (RACER)
Top Ferrari team Arise Racing locked in for Bathurst 12 Hour return (SpeedCafe)
Chinese BMW team KRC commits to Bathurst debut (SpeedCafe)

Trackhouse rule out MotoGP exit but may consider external investment (BlackBook Motorsport)
Longtime GT3 Project Manager Golz Departs Porsche (Sportscar365)
ADAC GT Title “Only The Beginning” For HRT’s Partnership With Ford (Daily Sportscar)
Red Bull gives major Ford engine status update ahead of F1 2026 collaboration (Planet F1)
Stallion Motorsports Enters Pilot Challenge With Cupra, Signs Celso Neto (Daily Sportscar)

Motorsport Movers & Shakers

Parella Motorsports Holdings’ Scott Duncan

Motorsports industry veteran Scott Duncan recently joined Parella Motorsports Holdings (PMH) as chief partnerships officer, overseeing all business development and partnership efforts for SpeedTour. This growing racing property encompasses Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA), Trans Am presented by Pirelli, Prototype Sprint Series Association (PSSA), Formula Regional Americas Championship, F4 United States Championship, Ligier JS F4 Series (JSF4), and International GT (IGT). PRI profiles the motorsport industry veteran 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.