Formula 1 has released their Q2 results which included a revenue drop, and I have the details in this week’s Business of Motorsport Roundup. I also have NASCAR’s plans for international expansion and more.
Overview
Motorsport Industry News
Formula 1 Race Postponements Lead to Liberty Media Revenue Drop in Q2
Liberty Media, the US media giant and owner of motor racing’s iconic Formula 1 (F1) series, saw its revenues drop significantly year-on-year during the second quarter of 2026, with a 38% dip in F1 income the primary factor.
F1’s substantial revenue decrease during the three months up to June 30 this year was mostly due to four fewer races being held in that period than were hosted in the equivalent period last year (five, as opposed to nine) – primarily a consequence of the regional conflict in the Middle East.
Here is a wrap up of the coverage.
- F1 reveals distorted 61% income loss in latest earnings report (The Race)
- F1’s 38% Revenue Fall in Q2 2026 Isn’t What It Looks Like (Coffee Corner Motorsport)
- Fewer races, no Brad Pitt but reasons for optimism: How to explain F1’s US$460m Q2 revenue drop (BlackBook Motorsport)
- Key F1 headlines you may have missed from the Liberty Media earnings call (Sector)
- Did Formula 1 have a bad quarter, or a bad calendar? (Business of Speed)
- Should We Worry About F1? (Paddock Project)
- Formula One is lagging other sport stocks. Why analysts think it’s poised to race ahead (CNBC)
How F1 Learned to Grow Without Growing
Liberty Media has rewritten Formula 1’s business model by expanding commercial inventory rather than growing the calendar. Autosport explains how they are doing it.
How the German Grand Prix May Be in for a Drawn-Out Death Even Before its Possible Return
The German GP could be returning to the Formula 1 calendar, in a move that should, on paper, please purists of the sport. Another race in Europe is never a bad thing, but it is an idea that has begun to die out since the turn of the century as the Middle and Far East rose to prominence as new locations for a coveted F1 race. Motorsport Week explains how the German Grand Prix may return.
Negotiations ‘Progressing Well’ for F1 Race in Africa, says Domenicali
Formula 1 is making good progress towards adding a race on the African continent in the future, according to CEO and president Stefano Domenicali. “Negotiations are progressing very well in Africa,” Domenicali said. “By the way, I forget – because things are happening so quickly – that next year we are back again in Portugal, we are back again in Turkey. So once again, other places that will host a grand prix in the future.”
N.C. Funds Study of Motorsports Impact, Eyeing Potential F1 Race
Tucked into the $34B budget passed last month by North Carolina state lawmakers is “$400,000 for a new study of the motorsports industry’s economic impact” on the state, according to Erik Spanberg of the Charlotte Business Journal as reported by the Sports Business Journal.
The updated study resulted from conversations with N.C. state Rep. Jay Adams, an “ardent racing enthusiast” who believes that the state “could be a potential future home for a Formula 1 race.”
FIA Lifts Sanction on Russian, Belarusian Competitors
Motorsport’s global governing body, the FIA, has lifted its restrictions on Russian and Belarusian athletes according to SpeedCafe. The move to remove sanctions imposed on Russian and Belarusian competitors comes a month after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) rescinded its ban on Russian athletes.
“After consultation, the WMSC decided that the FIA emergency measures shall be revised to lift the restrictions on the participation of Russian and Belarusian drivers, national teams, individual competitors and officials, as well as those relating to the display of their national symbols, colors, flags and anthems,” an FIA decision document read.
“Russian and Belarusian drivers, national teams, individual competitors and officials are allowed to participate in international/zone competitions without any restrictions. The requirement of signing a commitment to neutrality no longer applies.”
Why IndyCar’s New Runner Cannot Arrive Soon Enough
Before Alex Palou’s latest IndyCar domination at Portland, the runaway championship leader tested the Dallara IR-28 prototype which is set to arrive in the series in 19 months’ time. For a number of reasons, that new car cannot come soon enough as Autosport explains.
MotoGP Looks to Make Changes to Business as Usual
As MotoGP prepares to move the Qatar GP, the series is looking and possibly instituting a football-style rider transfer window as well as an F1-style budget cap
NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell is Ready to Bring a Race to Europe
NASCAR’s international ambitions could soon extend well beyond Mexico. This Motorsport.com feature explores CEO Steve O’Donnell’s interest in taking the Cup Series to Europe, building on the strong reception NASCAR’s European series receives at Brands Hatch and the attention generated by its Garage 56 entry at Le Mans. The idea would give European fans a chance to experience NASCAR’s distinctive style of racing firsthand while expanding the championship’s global footprint.
SIC Offers Expertise to Help Shape Gedong Motorsport Circuit into East Malaysia’s Motorsport Hub
Sepang International Circuit says it is ready to partner the Sarawak government by sharing its expertise in circuit development, operations and commercial sustainability to ensure the proposed Gedong Motorsport Circuit becomes a long-term catalyst for motorsport and economic growth in East Malaysia according to Scoop Malaysia.
Quick Takes on the Business of Motorsport This Week
- Inside the classic F1 boom: a morning with Officina Caira (Motorsport Week)
- How Formula 1 Merchandising Became A Business Beyond The Track (Parabolica by Marika)
- INDYCAR, NASCAR To Share Phoenix Weekend Again in 2027 (IndyCar)
- IndyCar’s long-awaited new chassis for 2028 begins testing (Racecar Engineering)
- Jack Doohan Is Winning Off The Grid (Friday’s Sports, Monday’s Business)
- Turn a racetrack into a school? The idea is causing tensions in a Quebec town (CBC)
- Formula 1’s masterclass in cultural programming (Jing Daily)
- The WRC sale isn’t just a big number: it’s a test of sport’s media future (Dr. Samuel Tickell)
- Oliver Bearman reveals new business venture away from F1 (Motorsport.com)
- How Online Communities Are Shaping a New Culture Around Motorsports and Racing Events (AR1)
- Government of Ontario invests in the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham (Ontario Honda Indy)
- Accessibility Has a Price (Business of Speed)
- A New Home: Summit Motorsports Park Steps Up To Support IHRA World Finals (Dragzine)
- Exactly how popular is Formula 1? (Drive Me Online)
- Revolution Race Cars accelerates US expansion with DAS Sport dealer appointment (Revolution Race Cars)
- Your Spark Will Drive the 2027 SCCA National Convention (SCCA)
- Honda making iconic race cars available for sale through new HRC Heritage Program (RACER)
- The Cost of Fandom: Are Fans Being Priced Out of Sport? (Paddock Journal)
- The US Motorsport Club Market (Mücke Roth & Company)
- Women Are Formula 1’s New Commercial Force (Experiences XO)
- A woman in the driving seat? Formula E boss confident his series will beat F1 (Reuters)
- Australia’s first Motorsport Investment Platform (MIG)
Highlights from the Sustainable Motorsport Roundup
How the E1 Series is Redefining Sustainability
How the E1 Series is redefining sustainability is just one of the topics covered in this week’s Sustainable Motorsport Roundup. I also have news on Toyota’s hydrogen engine sportscar plans, a hydrogen land speed record and more.
The Numbers This Week
Ratings Dip for IndyCar at Portland
IndyCar’s visit to Portland International Raceway last Sunday was met with one of the smallest audiences since the open-wheel series moved to an all-network platform with FOX.
Motorsport Law Roundup
Inside the FIA’s International Court of Appeal, and Why It’s Almost Never Used
McLaren and Red Bull’s 2026 Monaco appeal reached a tribunal only one other F1 team has stood before in over a decade — and that’s precisely what makes it significant. Ubaidullah Kazi goes inside the FIA’s International Court of Appeal, and why it’s almost never used.
3 Critical Contract Clauses
Behind every driver, there is a contract of hundreds of pages perfectly shielded by their management agency. Knowing how to draft, negotiate, and maximize these clauses is what sets an amateur representative apart from an elite Driver Manager. If your goal is to manage sports careers and lead the commercial negotiations of drivers and teams, you need the right tools. Motorsport Business School explains 3 critical contract clauses.
Dentons Advises the FIA on Agreement Relating to the Promotion Rights for the WRC and ERC Rally Championships
Dentons advised the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) on the tax structuring aspects of the agreement relating to the promotion rights for the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) and the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC).
Structuring Sponsorship Deals: Key Considerations for Athletes and Brands on Negotiating Equity
The athlete–brand sponsorship deals model has been changing rapidly. Roger Federer’s partnership with On Running has provided a reference point for athletes looking to build their own equity deals, which are increasingly common. The appeal is clear: equity can outlast an athlete’s competitive years and, where the business succeeds, deliver returns that far exceed any fixed‑fee sponsorship arrangement. Read the full article at LawInSport here.
Edward Harney Never Planned to Become “The Drag Race Lawyer” — He Just Never Left the Racetrack
Drag racing and the law come together in the unusual career of Edward “Edd” Harney Jr., an attorney who has spent nearly four decades in the sport as a racer, crew chief and team adviser. This DC Drag Coverage article profile traces how Harney’s racing background eventually led to representing professional teams and drivers, while also exploring the legal realities facing tracks and promoters—from contracts and insurance to waivers, safety and liability. It’s a good example of how genuine involvement in motorsport can create a specialized professional career within the industry.
Motorsport Sponsorship, Partnership News and Analysis
- Racing Liveries and the Decline of Distinctive Motorsport Design (GVS)
- Point S International targets Latin America for next phase of global expansion following WEC sponsorship (Tyre Press)
- Summer Shutdown! BWT Alpine Formula One Team opens up for Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP Team ahead of Silverstone (Alpine)
- Emotion-Focused Financial Service Partnerships (Trend Hunter)
- “Sport first”: F1’s Liam Parker on growth, partners and the limits of entertainment (SportsPro Podcast)
- Toby Sowery Announces Strategic Partnership With Global NRG (Toby Sowery)
- PepsiCo deepens motorsport strategy with five-year Silverstone partnership (Sports Mint)
- What Does a Motorsport Partnerships Manager Actually Do? (Motorsport Notes)
- eToro’s Alpine deal gets personal with Gasly signing (Sector)
- Starburst Names 2025 F1 World Champion Lando Norris as Brand Ambassador (Business Wire)
- M&Ms returns to NASCAR for special Kyle Busch tribute scheme at Bristol (Motorsport.com)
- Formula 1 and Disney extend “Fuel the Magic” collaboration through 2028 season and welcome Disney and Pixar’s Cars (F1)
Team & Manufacturer News
Cadillac Bombshell Plus More Team & Manufacturer News
- Budkowski replaces Lowdon as Cadillac F1 boss (Autosport)
- Cadillac confirms Lowdon’s shock exit wasn’t a “mutual decision” (Autosport)
- Why Cadillac has decided to act now and replace Lowdon with Budkowski (Autosport)
- New Cadillac F1 boss identifies where ‘very urgent’ improvement is needed (Motorsport Week)
- How Cadillac is ‘building its plane while flying in it’ in F1 (Autosport)
- Inside Mercedes F1: Ten Numbers That Explain Why The Team Is Now Worth $6 Billion (Huddle Up)
- Haas team reaffirms commitment to Cup Series program (RACER)
- Why it will “take years” for Cadillac to reach the level F1 rivals are operating at (Autosport)
- Mustang GT3 EVO Update the “Tool to Boost” Customer Sales (Sportscar365)
- Leung Targeting Future Le Mans Entry With Paradine Squad (Sportscar365)
- Graham Rahal confirms partnership between DRR and RLL after charter sale (Motorsport Week)
- The Radical rise of a top prototype squad (Autosport)
Motorsport Movers & Shakers
Otmar Szafnauer Discusses His Role as Van Amersfoort Racing’s CEO
Otmar Szafnauer speaks to Motorsport Week about a number of issues related to his new position as Van Amersfoort Racing’s CEO. In Part 1 he reveals why he moved from the world of Formula 1 to the feeder series. In Part 2 he reveals his plans to tackle the sport’s premier feeder series with Van Amersfoort Racing. In Part 3, he reveals his approach to helping Van Amersfoort Racing become the premier team in the sport’s feeder series.
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.
