Formula 1 has extended the Las Vegas Grand Prix until 2037, and I have the details and the analysis in this week’s Business of Motorsport Roundup. I also have the latest motorsport legal news, sponsorship deals and much more.
Overview
Motorsport Industry News
Formula 1 extends Las Vegas Grand Prix contract to 2037
Formula 1 has confirmed a 10-year extension to the Heineken Las Vegas Grand Prix, keeping the race on the calendar through to 2037 in a deal that underlines the sport’s long-term commitment to the United States market.
Here are two columns that look at the impact of the extension now that F1 will be racing in Vegas until 2037.
- Why the long-term Vegas deal cements F1’s American foothold (RACER)
- The Monaco of Nevada: How F1 plans to make ‘destination racetrack’ Las Vegas Grand Prix the centrepiece of its season with 2037 extension (BlackBook Motorsport)
How Monaco Stays Commercially Relevant in F1’s US Boom
With last weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix taking place amidst the announcement of the extension of the contract for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Darren Cox from The Race looks at how Monaco stays commercially relevant in F1’s US boom.
“My summary beyond the ‘vibe’ that Monaco still ‘has it’ would be that the decision makers make sure they are in Monaco. Traditional activations are less prevalent and hosting is very intentional. But even those business owners or decision makers new to the sport just know they have to be there. Although they can’t quite give you a justifiable rationale as to why. Just those unmeasurable ‘vibes’. Their attendance is rewarded because they are amongst their own and therefore business can be discussed and done peer-to-peer.”
You can read the full article here.
Why F1 and the World Cup Are Playing the Same Commercial Game
Formula 1 and the FIFA World Cup are sharing the global stage this month – and the parallels between how the two properties have grown commercially over the past decade are difficult to ignore. Sector looks at what they are here.
F1 Agrees on Extra Combustion Power for 2027 and 2028
F1 management, the FIA, teams and power unit manufacturers have agreed on regulations tweaks for both 2027 and 2028. Last Wednesday, the FIA announced F1’s stakeholders have agreed to a moderate increase from 2027 onwards before committing to a 60/40 split in 2028.
In other Formula 1 engine news, Audi has no problems if the series switches to V8s while McLaren has indicated that they would be open to building their own engines if the new regulations made it feasible.
Why McLaren Still Wants F1 ‘A-B Team’ Clarity Despite End of Alpine-Mercedes Deal
McLaren CEO Zak Brown will continue to push for clarity on co-operation between Formula 1 teams despite Mercedes pulling out of talks to buy a shareholding in Alpine after Renault’s intervention.
“Any sport that you’re in, you want to have 11 independent teams that you know are racing in their best interests, and are playing by all the same financial rules, that are voting in their best interest, and I think we’ve seen over the years a lot of incidents where that’s not been the case.”
Christian Horner Waits in the Wings as BYD Steps Up F1 Interest with Monaco GP Talks
Chinese automotive giant BYD continued to explore a potential future in Formula 1 during the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, holding high-level meetings with senior figures from both Formula One Management and the FIA, with involvement from Christian Horner still possible.
“Some senior figures believe BYD is still in the information-gathering phase. Others have suggested the company remains years away from having the infrastructure required to launch a Formula 1 operation.”
What MotoGP Teams Are Worth Today — and in 2031
MotoGP is undergoing some fundamental changes to the series under Liberty Media ownership as the series is finally moving towards a new Concorde-style agreement. Amongst all this, Riccardo Tafà of RTR Sports Marketing explains what MotoGP teams are worth today and potentially in the future.
“The F1-to-MotoGP revenue ratio sits at roughly 6.8x — call it 7x. The gap between average team valuations is far wider, which points to a multiple compression the market has yet to close. In other words, current pricing still reflects an older version of this asset’s story.”
NASCAR Eyeing Potential 2027 Return for Chicago Street Race
Sports Business Journal is reporting that NASCAR is “gearing up for a potential announcement about a 2027 return” after pausing its downtown Chicago street race for 2026. The race will “move away” from Fourth of July weekend and “instead possibly take place after Sueños Festival” under its remaining one-year extension of NASCAR’s existing city contract. Race organizers previously said that “they ‘hit pause’ on 2026 to explore a new potential date for the race and further optimize ‘operational efficiencies,’ with a ‘goal’ to return to Chicago in 2027.”
WEC Playing the Long Game with its Digital Overhaul
Ahead of the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans, the FIA World Endurance Championship has completed the biggest digital overhaul in its history. The headliner has been the launch of its new FIAWEC+ service and its brand-new app, marking a new era for the championship and its offering to fans.
IndyCar Pitched on Potential Colombian Street Race
RACER reports that a delegation from the Colombian city of Barranquilla paid a visit to the Indianapolis 500 in May to meet with IndyCar CEO Mark Miles and discuss the possibility of hosting a street race along its northern port which runs along the Caribbean Sea.
“They have reached out to us,” Miles told RACER. “They sent a delegation to Indianapolis 500 weekend, which first we received a letter from them, and in person, we learned about the city and their interest. So we’re in the very, very earliest stages of diligence, understanding it.”
Quick Takes on the Business of Motorsport This Week
“Stay in the Race” and the Monaco You Don’t See
- Rahal, Letterman, Lanigan Use “Stay in the Race” Film to Promote Heart-Valve Health (Autoweek)
- The Monaco Grand Prix’s Most Interesting (And Secretive) Details (Huddle Up)
- Don’t You Dare Get Rid of Monaco (Business of Speed)
- The Monaco Grand Prix You Don’t See on TV (Business of Speed)
- How Monaco changed for F1 (Financial Times)
- Monaco: The Crown Jewel of Racing Hospitality or Playground of the Ultra Wealthy? (Paddock Journal)
- 10 Career-Defining Lessons from the Motorsport Prospects Podcast (Motorsport Prospects)
- With 200 Wins by Women, the NHRA Solved a Problem Other Motorsports Still Face (Autoweek)
- The Next Bandimere Speedway Won’t Look Like the Last One (Competition Plus)
- Top Athletes Bypass Traditional Media To Launch Personal YouTube Channels (SportsPro)
- Prime Minister Orpo puts Finnish rally passion in spotlight (WRC)
- 6,000 guests. 39 hospitality suites. More than 100 trained staff. Months of planning for three days of racing (NKrush)
- Everyone is a F1 Creator Now (Hot Laps, Hotter Takes)
- Vigloo to Launch AI-Powered Motorsports Short Drama Globally (Asia Business Daily)
- VIRginia International Raceway Expands Beyond the Track with Launch of Off Track Productions (VIR)
- Driven and Ridge are now operating as one, bringing expertise, reach and talented people together (Ridge)
- Measuring Every Moment: TAG Heuer is Official Timekeeper of the Monaco Grand Prix (JetSet Magazine)
- IndyCar gets 288,000 requests for 100,000 available Freedom 250 tickets (RACER)
- Global Motor Sport Betting Market By Type, By Application, By Geographic Scope And Forecast (Market Research and News)
- Ferdinand Habsburg’s “Racing for Meals” initiative at the 24H of Le Mans (Motorsport Week)
- Building A Challenger Brand Through Fandom with Formula E (Paradise)
- Top 10 Highest-Paid Formula One Drivers for 2026 (Front Office Sports)
- MotoGP confirms Aragon to remain on calendar for 2027 season (Motorsport Week)
- The New 24 Hours Of Le Mans Museum Redefines Motorsport Heritage (Forbes)
- F1 confirms tyre contract extension with Pirelli (Motorsport Week)
- Silverstone added to expanded nine-round 2027 WEC calendar (Autosport)
Highlights from the Sustainable Motorsport Roundup
Toyota to Demonstrate Liquid Hydrogen-Fueled TR LH2 Racing Prototype at Le Mans
Toyota is to demonstrate their liquid hydrogen-fueled TR LH2 Racing Prototype at Le Mans this year and I have all the details in this week’s Sustainable Motorsport Roundup. I also have details on what it is like to drive the Formula E Gen4 race car, two conferences to attend and more.
The Numbers This Week
UFL OT, Rain Delays Lead to a Dip for IndyCar WWTR TV Views
Sunday night’s Bommarito Automotive Group 500 won by Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden had an average viewership of 945,000, down 6.6 percent on a blend of channels. RACER has all the details.
Motorsport Law Roundup
Nineteen U.S. Attorneys General Voice Concerns to F1, FIA Over Tobacco Industry Sponsorship
Attorneys general from 19 states and jurisdictions in the United States voiced concerns to Formula One and the FIA over tobacco industry sponsorship, specifically regarding nicotine pouches, in the sport.
“As Attorneys General, we take seriously our responsibility to protect American families, who have been free of most tobacco advertising for decades, thanks in large part to the MSA and television broadcast laws restricting cigarette advertising,” they wrote. “We therefore urge FIA and Formula 1 to do their part to safeguard youth by terminating all current tobacco and nicotine product sponsorships immediately and expanding existing policies prohibiting cigarette sponsorships to include sponsorship by newer tobacco products, such as nicotine pouches. Formula 1 fans, especially the youngest viewers, deserve to enjoy race day without being targeted by the tobacco industry.”
The Athletic has all the details.
No Two F1 Sponsorship Contracts Are the Same
Jonny Odell explains why no two F1 sponsorship contracts are the same. Even when the proposal headline rights read the same, each team structures, contracts and services them differently. You can read the full post here.
Miami F1 Track Flaw Suit Settles At Start Of Trial
After trying and failing to boot the judge overseeing a case over the construction of a track that failed during the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix race in 2022, a British racetrack consultant avoided a trial with a last-minute settlement.
Why Major Brands Are Switching from One-Year to Three-Year Motorsport Sponsorship Contracts in 2026
Emanuele Venturoli of RTR Sports Marketing explains why major brands are switching from one-year to three-year motorsport sponsorship contracts in 2026.
“The commercial logic of annual motorsport sponsorship multi-year contracts, or rather, the lack of them, was always a compromise rather than a strategy. Short-term commitments provided flexibility but destroyed the compounding mechanism that makes motorsport sponsorship commercially productive. In 2026, a specific combination of structural market factors has created conditions in which long-term motorsport sponsorship deals are now commercially superior to annual deals in ways that are measurable and defensible to a CFO.”
You can read the full article here.
Gasly regains Monaco GP podium spot after FIA stewards rescind penalties
The FIA stewards have upheld Alpine’s appeal against the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix results, with Pierre Gasly reinstated in third after his penalties for speeding in the pitlane were rescinded.
“During Thursday’s right of review hearing F1’s timekeeper FOM admitted that there had been an error with the distance measurement in pitlane from which speeds are taken, with the loop at pit entry, where all six drivers were found to be speeding, turning out to be 77cm shorter than expected, causing average speeds to be overreported.“
Two More Athletes Sue Puma, Mercedes F1 Over Claim Shoes Resulted in ‘Severe and Permanent’ Injuries
Two more track and field athletes have filed lawsuits against Puma and Mercedes’ Formula 1 team over an alleged failure to disclose that the carbon-plated shoes the companies marketed “could place abnormal and unnecessary stress on athletes’ feet and lower legs, contributing to life-altering injuries.”
Jamaican Olympian Damion Thomas Jr. and American World Championship gold medalist Champion Allison are the latest athletes to sue the two companies in the United States regarding the sneakers. U.S. track star Abby Steiner filed her complaint in late April, claiming that the shoe designs, as well as the carbon fiber plate and/or nitrofoam technology “changed the foot and ankle mechanics during running that may contribute to or increase the risk of injury.”
The Athletic has the full details.
Motorsport Sponsorship, Partnership News and Analysis
Ferrari’s Sponsorship Strategy and More
- New asset mix allows Ferrari to streamline on-car branding (Sport Business Sponsorship)
- SkinCeuticals joins Scuderia Ferrari HP as Official Skincare Partner (Ferrari)
- Homegrown talent: The value Charles Leclerc brings to F1 and Ferrari (Sector)
- The Activation Zone: Monaco Grand Prix (Sector)
- Monaco Grand Prix: Weekend Diary (Sunday’s Sponsors)
- How McLaren’s Lego driver helmets for 1000th race demonstrate F1’s multi-generational appeal (BlackBook Motorsport)
- Emburse Named ‘Official Travel and Expense Solution Partner’ of TGR Haas F1 Team (Business Wire)
- From Formula 1 to Formula 4: Pierre Herrenschmidt on ALTAWKILAT Motorsport’s Mission to Build Saudi Motorsport (The Hairpin)
- American Rebel Light Beer’s NHRA Motorsports Platform Continues to Deliver High-Octane Results, Accelerating Brand Momentum and National Business Expansion (National Law Review)
- Motion Applied returns as headline sponsor for PMW Expo 2026 (PMW)
- Why 70 percent of a modern F1 partnership has nothing to do with a logo (Sector)
- Logo Exposure Matters in Sponsorship (Silvia Schweiger)
- McLaren Racing announces partnership with Global (ESA)
- Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham announces The Remington Group as a founding partner (Honda Indy)
- Ebury announces sponsorship of Formula 2 driver, Alex Dunne (Ebury)
- The Long History Between Motorsports and Casino Sponsorships (Speedway Media)
- Goodwood secures Pirelli as tyre partner for Festival of Speed (Goodwood)
The Business of Running a Race Team
Mercedes Formula 1 Team Hits Record Profit And Reaches $6B Valuation
The Mercedes Formula 1 team has reported a record operating profit of $223M on $849M in revenue, driven by strong sponsorship deals with global brands. This puts Mercedes on course to be the first F1 team to hit this massive revenue milestone.
Team & Manufacturer News
Inter Europol Targeting Hypercar
- LMP2 powerhouse Inter Europol targeting step up to Hypercar (RACER)
- How Manthey became, and continues to be, one of GT racing’s top teams (Racecar Engineering)
- Rick Hendrick Retains Motorsports Staff and Sponsors Through Corporate Loyalty Culture (Asatu News)
- IndyCar’s Ryan Hunter-Reay Named Sporting Director At Arrow McLaren (Forbes)
- BMW poised to continue WorldSBK programme beyond 2026 (Motorsport Week)
- Vannin Motorsport confirms Valencia entry (Touring Car Times)
- Lexus set for Le Mans swansong (RACER)
- Audi Hints at Return to GT3 With Newly Launched Nuvolari (Sportscar365)
- Genesis Rules Out IMSA GTP Debut Until 2028 at Earliest (Sportscar365)
- How Peugeot Prepares For The Biggest Race Of The Year (Daily Sportscar)
- BHA Set for Series Debut in 19-Car McLaren Trophy Entry (Sportscar365)
- High Class Enters Partnership With Isotta Fraschini (Sportscar365)
- Isotta Fraschini Hypercar program revived (RACER)
- McLaren fined for Formula E cost cap breach (RACER)
- Ferrari expects overhaul of 499P for WEC 2027 (Autosport)
- Roadmap still wide open for Signatech’s next Hypercar step (RACER)
- Can Gucci Give Alpine The Cultural Clout (& Racing Results) It Craves? (Paddock Journal)
- AO Has “No Definitive Plans” for GTP/Hypercar (Sportscar365)
Motorsport Movers & Shakers
Time’s 100 Most Influential People in Sports 2026
Time has released their list of the 100 most influential people in sports in 2026 with motorsport well represented including:
- Lando Norris
- Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan
- Susie Wolf
- Kimi Antonelli
- Carson Hocevar
- Amna Al Qubaisi
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.
