The Felipe Massa hearing has concluded after three days of testimony, and you will find out what happened in this week’s edition of the Business of Motorsport Roundup. I also have details on the Alex Palou vs McLaren Racing trial, other significant motorsport legal news and more!
Overview
Motorsport Industry News
Liberty Media F1 Earnings Up In Q3 Earnings Report
Liberty Media has reported its third-quarter revenue for its Formula One Group as the championship’s performance continues to rise. Also included is the first contribution from MotoGP following the company’s acquisition of Dorna Sports in July. Its revenue from Q3 includes figures from Formula 1, MotoGP, and Quint – its events business – reaching $1.085billion compared with the $911million it saw just 12 months earlier. Get all the details here.
Las Vegas GP To ‘Make a Splash Again’ After Understated 2024 Event
The organizers of the Las Vegas Grand Prix say they will be “making a splash again” in 2025 after a more understated second edition of the race last year. “We’re making a splash again,” Las Vegas Grand Prix president and CEO Emily Prazer said. “I think what we felt really good about after the second year was the operational delivery of the event. I think everyone knows – it’s quite well documented – that this year we had repositioned ourselves around our ticketing proposition, and we’re pacing really, really well for a sell-out.
The Requirements to Host an F1 Grand Prix
Autosport explains the requirements needed to host a Formula 1 Grand Prix. “F1 and the FIA have strict guidelines over what circuits can host a grand prix and they must be classified as Grade 1 to qualify. This is the top level of the FIA’s seven-tiered system that covers everything from drag strips to rally stages.”
Africa’s F1 Grand Prix Bids: $3B Race to Bring Formula 1 Back by 2027
Africa last hosted a Formula 1 Grand Prix in 1993 at South Africa’s Kyalami circuit. Rwanda, Morocco, South Africa, and Nigeria now lead aggressive bids to end this 32-year drought. These rival initiatives target Formula 1’s calendar evolution beyond 2026 into high-growth markets. Vantage looks into the numbers and details of each bid.
Domenicali on F1 in 2026: “All the Elements of Attention Are There”
Formula 1 boss Stefano Domenicali insists that the quality of the sport remains his main focus, and he has no concerns about the impact of the changes coming for the 2026 season. “As we always said, the sport is at the heart of our platform, and no one has to doubt about it,” he said.
IMSA Gets Best TV Viewership in Over a Decade as Racing Renaissance Hits Sports Cars
NASCAR Holdings’ IMSA sports car property feels it is in the groove commercially as the 2025 campaign concludes, highlighted by the best linear TV figures in over a decade and a rare sellout at its season finale. With brands like Lamborghini, Ferrari, BMW, Lexus and Aston Martin competing in its classes, IMSA already boasts the most manufacturers of any racing series in the world with 18. Read more at Sports Business Journal here.
Court Documents Show NASCAR Profit Exceeded US$100m in 2024
Court documents released in the ongoing lawsuit between Nascar, 23XI Racing, and Front Row Motorsports (FRM) have revealed that the series generated net income of US$102.6 million in 2024. This was down considerably from US$536.7 million in 2023, though that figure was inflated by Nascar’s decision to sell the majority of the land at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana for nearly US$500 million. Get all the details at BlackBook Motorsport.
NASCAR 2025 Season in Numbers
A challenging Nascar season has concluded, yet the most significant moment may still be to come as the series counts down to its court date with 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports. Ahead of that looming trial, BlackBook Motorsport picks out the key facts and figures that have defined 2025.
Quick Takes on the Business of Motorsport This Week
- Inside F1’s TV tech nerve center. Plus, the latest on Red Bull’s non-Verstappen seat (The Athletic)
- Malaysian GP targeting new MotoGP deal (Autosport)
- Entertainment Companies Investing Heavily in Motorsports (Formula Nerds)
- The creator paradox: why F1 and tennis are losing Gen Z, while the NBA thrives (Idée Fixe)
- Lewis Hamilton has held discussions over F1 Movie sequel (Motorsport Week)
- How EssentiallySports’ Lucky Dog on Track Bridges the Gap Between Digital and On-Ground NASCAR Fandom (Clutch Points)
- A Night with the Shift Up Now Foundation Raises More Than $100,000 in Grants for Female Racers (Shift Up Now)
- How A2RL Has Evolved Ahead of its Second Edition (Racecar Engineering)
- NJMP to Implement Griiip Products to Enhance Both Driver Performance and Fan Experience in 2026 (NJMP)
- Badass Studios powers Extreme H (Advanced Television)
- Charles Leclerc’s Side Quest (Esses)
- Ferrari shares rise as luxury pricing power drives Q3 earnings beat (Reuters)
- What can we all learn from the pending sale and closure of Pitt Race (Grassroots Motorsports)
- RACER partners with BlackBook Motorsport for BlackBook Motorsport Forum USA (RACER)
- Caterham CEO steps down, VT boss steps in (Pistonheads)
Highlights from the Sustainable Motorsport Roundup
Formula E Unveil New Gen4 Race Car
Formula E have unveiled their new Gen4 race car, and I have the details in this week’s Sustainable Motorsport Roundup. I also have news on how eco-composites power the new Toyota Supra Supercar, why Ferrari wants to start planning for F1’s 2035 car now and much more!
The Numbers This Week
NASCAR Closes 2025 Season Averaging 2.45M Viewers
NASCAR averaged 2.45 million viewers for the full 38-race Cup Series season in 2025 after the championship finale in Phoenix Raceway according to BlackBook Motorsport.
Motorsport Law Roundup
Felipe Massa Hearing Concludes Three Days of Testimony
The legal battle between Felipe Massa, Bernie Ecclestone, Formula One Management (FOM) and the FIA over the 2008 world championship has been put on hold, with the judge reserving his decision. Following a three-day hearing in London, Judge Robert Jay announced that no ruling would be made for the time being.
These were the key arguments heard during the hearing:
- Massa’s counsel, Nick De Marco KC, asserted the FIA’s inaction violated its duty of integrity, citing Ecclestone’s 2023 admission of prior knowledge. De Marco argued annulling Singapore would have awarded Massa the championship, with viable prospects for success.
- FIA’s John Mehrzad KC countered that Massa’s pit stop error (jammed fuel hose) and Ferrari’s strategy caused his 13th-place finish, not Crashgate. He emphasized Hamilton’s season-long superiority and the claim’s untimeliness.
- FOM’s Anneliese Day KC and Ecclestone’s David Quest KC echoed delay and causation issues, noting Massa did not pursue legal action earlier despite 2009 revelations. Quest dismissed Ecclestone’s interview as unreliable memory.
No ruling has been issued as of when this post was published.
NASCAR Has Monopoly, Judge Rules Ahead Of Antitrust Trial
A federal judge on Tuesday “issued a key victory” for 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports that “further pressures NASCAR to settle” the antitrust lawsuit filed against it by the teams. U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell ruled “in favor of” 23XI and FRM “on an argument over the market definition of ‘premier stock-car racing.’” Bell found that NASCAR “controls the market” and NASCAR’s argument that teams can race in other series “is moot.” Bell found “NASCAR deliberate(ly), clear(ly) and unambiguous(ly)” alleged that the relevant market is “the market for entry of cars into NASCAR Cup Series races in the United States and any other location where a Cup Series race is held”
Closing Statements Made as Court Considers McLaren Claims Against Palou
The closing statements in the McLaren IndyCar vs Alex Palou case have been made by both sides as the court considers a claim of nearly $20 million in damages against the IndyCar Series champion. Racer reports that McLaren outlined the total amount it is claiming for before interest/discount at $19,570,578. That sum is made up of:
- $1,312,500 in driver salaries
- $7,266,902 in base fees from incoming sponsor NTT
- $500,000 annual uplift from General Motors
- $5,839,809 in other IndyCar sponsorships
- $548,490 in F1 sponsorships
- $4,102,876 in performance-based revenue
Read the RACER article for all the details.
Netflix Faces Copyright Suit Over Formula 1 ‘Senna’ Series
Netflix and a Brazilian production company were sued by a California filmmaker who claimed he showed them his material about the late Brazilian Formula 1 driver Ayrton Senna in confidence and his work was misappropriated in the making of a Netflix series about the legendary race car driver.
Ed Carpenter Racing Lawsuit Against Former Sponsor Ault Dismissed
Ed Carpenter Racing’s lawsuit against former sponsor Todd Ault and the marketing agency of record overseeing his company’s racing sponsorship programs has been dismissed.
Motorsport Sponsorship, Partnership News and Analysis
- F1’s Aston Martin joins forces with Toy Story: ‘The story of teamwork is enduring’ (The Athletic)
- Freeway Insurance becomes fourth NASCAR Cup Series partner (RACER)
- Phelps: NASCAR catching up with sponsorship amid intense competition (Sports Business Journal)
- Gainbridge renews Indy 500 partnership (RACER)
- Formula 1 and Heineken announce expanded multi-year Global Partnership (Formula 1)
- Heineken Has Created Motorsport’s First-Ever Season Ticket (The Paddock Journal)
- Heineken boosted by F1 renewal ahead of expected UCL loss (Sport Business)
- F1 focused on retaining exclusivity for global sponsors amid partnership growth (BlackBook Motorsport)
- Williams unveil unique Brazilian GP livery with iconic F1 sponsor (Racingnews365)
- Arrow McLAREN launches multi-year sponsorship of Women in Motorsports North America (McLaren)
- Toyota Financial Services becomes naming rights partner for Toyota Gazoo Racing (AutoTalk)
Team & Manufacturer News
- Williams confirms official rebrand for F1 2026 (Autosport)
- Why Williams owners opted to ditch ‘Haas-type’ F1 model (Motorsport Week)
- Honda Says F1 Partnership with Aston Martin Will Improve Both Brands (Car and Driver)
- After the Red Bull era: How the Aston Martin-Honda partnership is taking shape in F1 (Autosport)
- Adrian Newey signing ‘monumental’ as Lawrence Stroll issues Aston Martin progress update (Planet F1)
- Lawrence Stroll “relentless” in mission to make Aston Martin world champions (Motorsport.com)
- Senior engineers to exit Aston Martin F1 team (Autosport)
- Proton can’t fund two-car Porsche Hypercar entry in WEC 2026 (Autosport)
- Barnhart, Sagan move from Arrow McLaren to RLL (RACER)
- TF Sport extends Corvette partnership (RACER)
- Hyundai reveals key signings to bolster resources for WEC and WRC (Autosport)
- Ferrari CEO admits things ‘run more smoothly’ at rival F1 teams (Motorsport Week)
- How a charging Haas F1 team has made the right calls on and off the track (Adam Cooper)
- Jonny Adam on the Return of Ecurie Ecosse with Blackthorn (Asian Le Mans Series)
- Cetilar Racing Heads to Asia for a Brand New and Exciting Challenge (Asian Le Mans Series)
- High Class Racing Announces Asian Le Mans Series LMP2 Entry with Star-Studded Driver Lineup (Asian Le Mans Series)
- Wall Racing Lamborghini Locked in for Bathurst 12H Return (Sportscar365)
- RLL Enters GTD Pro With McLaren in New Partnership (Sportscar365)
- AO keeps LMP2 squad intact for 2026 (RACER)
Motorsport Movers & Shakers
David Coulthard: Getting Senna’s Seat & Building Red Bull From the Ground Up
David Coulthard is a 13-time Grand Prix winner and former F1 driver for Williams, McLaren, and Red Bull. Known for his sharp insights and calm exterior, he’s lived through some of the sport’s most intense moments, on and off the track.
In this episode of the High Performance Podcast, David opens up about that life-altering day before the Spanish Grand Prix, walking away from wreckage, losing two pilots, and the brutal clarity that followed. He speaks candidly about how that moment stripped away the noise, made him less needy, and more certain about what he wanted from life and racing.
He also shares what it was really like inside McLaren, a team where decisions were fast and pressure was high. He explains how that no-nonsense culture shaped the way he thinks and works.
This episode dives into what it takes to survive in F1, mentally, emotionally, and physically.
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.
