Is the Monaco Grand Prix Still Viable?

Is the Monaco Grand Prix still viable as a race and a place to do business? That is the question addressed in this week’s Business of Motorsport Roundup. I also have the latest details on the FIA presidential election, the Indy 500’s positive momentum and what to do to bolster MotoGP’s British Grand Prix. All this and much more!

Motorsport Industry News

Formula 1

Is the Monaco Grand Prix Still Viable?

With another Monaco Grand Prix concluded, it is inevitable that the usual round of articles have appeared either decrying the fact that the racing tends to be processional or questioning whether the race has lost its allure in the face of competition from Miami, Las Vegas and Singapore. In response, Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says the Monaco Grand Prix is booming as an event and will continue to do so due to its unique nature. Perhaps the date change for next year will help it recapture some of its past glory.

There are also a number of suggestions on how to “fix” Monaco (which I link to below) but perhaps the most well thought out are those by Grand Prix Drivers’ Association chairman and track designer Alex Wurz. He has outlined three feasible ways that Monaco’s Formula 1 circuit can be improved to help overtaking. These proposed changes have garnered support from a number of drivers including Alex Albon.

Speaking on a panel at the Autosport Business Exchange: Monaco, Liberty Media CEO Derek Chang explained how F1’s recent growth has elevated the championship and set out the key market where it wants to continue expanding. “I think what we’ve done over the last 10 years, under the stewardship of Chase Carey and then Stefano [Domenicali] is really make this thing sort of a cultural phenomenon that’s gone well beyond a core sports product.”

Thailand is planning a bid to host a Formula 1 street race in its capital Bangkok in 2028 and will seek cabinet approval for the proposal next week, a government official said on Monday according to ESPN.

Is the Monaco Grand Prix Still Viable?

While a Grand Prix on the African continent appears to still be some way off, Morocco has emerged as a potential candidate city with a recently revealed track project similar to Abu Dhabi. “It can now be revealed that Morocco is poised to enter the race. In the pipeline is a strategic project sited 20 kilometres south of the coastal city of Tangiers.”

Fernando Alonso has been named as an ambassador for the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya as it fights to save its F1 future. “It is an honour and a privilege, and I am very happy to be an ambassador for Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, which is so special to me and to all Spanish fans, and which has given us so much joy,” Alonso explained. 

Sam Karaman takes a deep dive into how F1 teams make money using Ferrari as an example. “Formula 1 teams like Scuderia Ferrari fuel a $3.6B ecosystem, yet their real value lies in supercharging brand loyalty and driving Ferrari’s $7.2B luxury empire. Here’s how F1 teams generate revenue, Ferrari’s 2024 F1 financials, and why its Prancing Horse on the track powers global sales.”

General Motorsport Industry News

Indy 500 2025

This year’s Indy 500 made history both in viewership and purse as the popularity of the “greatest spectacle in racing knows no sign of abating. While IndyCar officials are encouraged by their growing younger fan base, can the series as a whole emerge from the shadow of the legendary race?

Mohammed Ben Sulayem

Mohammed Ben Sulayem will stand for a second four-year term as FIA president in December, saying he would welcome any rival candidate and that he is on a mission to grow motorsport and make Formula One’s governing body stronger. The 63-year-old Emirati has received widespread support from 36 FIA clubs largely based in the Americas, plus the FIA vice president for Sport – South America, Fabiana Ecclestone, who is the wife of Bernie. What this mean’s for the election is analyzed by Stuart Codling of Autosport.

Jim France, NASCAR’s co-owner and CEO, was near a deal to fund a car in an upcoming race in the league’s top-tier Cup Series before backlash in the garage over the perception of another high-profile conflict of interest in motorsports ownership led him to scrap the plans, The Athletic has learned.

“Still, the idea of France’s financial participation in a Cup race privately rankled some in the NASCAR garage before the deal was finalized, according to conversations with several high-ranking officials around the sport, and ultimately led France to table the idea.”

Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron sits down with Boardroom to discuss where NASCAR can improve, what it can learn from Formula 1, his journey to becoming a racing superstar, and more. “A lot of people my age know Lando Norris or Lewis Hamilton. Their sport is more worldwide, but I think we have to continue to work on that as a sport and be more new age. Maybe the length of the races is a start.”

Is the Monaco Grand Prix Still Viable?

With disappointing crowds for the 2025 British Grand Prix, MotoGP has shifted the race to August in 2026 in the hopes that this will attract more fans. The Race gives their verdict on why the race is struggling to attract fans. “But with attendance down by almost 20% compared to 2024, and with race day crowds having almost halved in the past decade, the low crowd numbers should provide a wake-up call to Silverstone, Dorna and the other organisations involved in the event.”

VAILO, the outgoing sponsor of the Adelaide Supercars event, has been placed into liquidation – revealing a $428,775 debt to the South Australian Motorsport Board. SpeedCafe has the details.

KTM’s new owner isn’t keen on racing, which is why Dorna is chasing other manufacturers to increase their presence in MotoGP, in case the Indian/Austrian brand leaves the championship. Motorsport Magazine looks at the current situation.

Quick Takes on the Business of Motorsport This Week

Is the Monaco Grand Prix Still Viable?
Is the Monaco Grand Prix Still Viable?
Is the Monaco Grand Prix Still Viable?

Highlights from the Sustainable Motorsport Roundup

Sustainable Motorsport Bosch Hydrogen Prototype

We’ve only just scratched the surface of sustainable motorsport and in this week’s edition of the Sustainable Motorsport Roundup you will understand some of the complexities and opportunities facing the sport.

The Numbers

Is the Monaco Grand Prix Still Viable?

Sports Business Journal reports that Fox drew 7.05 million viewers for its debut Indianapolis 500 on Sunday afternoon, per fast-national data, marking what will be the race’s best audience since 7.25 million in 2008. This year also is up 33% from 5.31 million last year on NBC. There was a short weather delay this year, and a four-hour delay last year. The race peaked from 4:15-4:30pm ET at 8.4 million viewers as Alex Palou was getting set to capture his first Indy 500.

ESPN reports that last Sunday’s live telecast of the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix on ABC attracted the largest live U.S. television audience ever for the iconic event, and F1’s third-largest live U.S. television audience on record, as an average of 2.3 million viewers tuned in to the race-only portion of the telecast between 9:00 and 11:30am ET.

Prime Video takes the baton from FOX Sports, which carried the first 12 points races, plus the Clash and the All-Star Race. NASCAR was encouraged that the FOX and FOX Sports 1 races for the 2025 slate were virtually flat, or stayed the same, from 2024.

“The viewership came in at 3,364,000 for 12 races, split between four races on FOX and eight on FS1. In 2024, the number was 3,369,000 for the 16 races the network had, with 10 on FOX and six on FS1. Furthermore, the 2025 season ratings for FOX Sports were up 7% in the 18-49 range.”

Motorsport Law Roundup

A look at some of the legal and regulatory issues and analysis in Motorsport this week

Is the Monaco Grand Prix Still Viable?

Ed Carpenter Racing is suing former sponsor Milton “Todd” Ault III, whose companies, including BitNile, were carried on ECR’s IndyCar Series entries from 2022-’24. The lawsuit is for alleged non-payment of a seven-figure sum owed to the team.

On Wednesday, the National Motorsports Appeals Panel amended the L1-level penalty issued to the No. 17 RFK Racing team and driver Chris Buescher on May 15 after the NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway.

Upon hearing the testimony, three members of the National Motorsports Appeals Panel ruled that the No. 17 team violated one or more, but not all, of the rules from the initial penalty. The team violated 14.5.4 (front bumper cover) but did not violate 14.1.2 (exhaust cover panel). Therefore, the panel amended the original penalty assessed by NASCAR to include a loss of 30 championship driver and team owner points (it was initially a 60-point loss), a loss of five driver and team owner playoff points, a two-race suspension for the crew chief and a $75,000 fine for the team.

LawinSport is conducting an online webinar on Negotiating Commercial Rights Deals In Sport set to take place on June 17, 2025. Full details can be found here.

Motorsport Sponsorship, Partnership News and Analysis

Here are the latest motorsport sponsorship deals, partnerships and related analysis that were announced this week

Is the Monaco Grand Prix Still Viable?
Is the Monaco Grand Prix Still Viable?
Is the Monaco Grand Prix Still Viable?
Is the Monaco Grand Prix Still Viable?
Is the Monaco Grand Prix Still Viable?

The Business of Running a Race Team

Is the Monaco Grand Prix Still Viable?

The Williams F1 team was tracking 14,000 car parts in a single Excel sheet. Now, they’re a top-five team. Here’s how Toto Wolff’s right hand man James Vowles is rebuilding one of Formula 1’s most historic teams. Read the full story at Huddle Up.

Team & Manufacturer News

Here is a roundup of the latest team news from around the world of motorsport

Is the Monaco Grand Prix Still Viable?

Motorsport Movers & Shakers

Is the Monaco Grand Prix Still Viable?

McLaren Formula 1 team principal Andrea Stella is a great communicator, and his dealings with the media give some indication of just how good he must be as a people manager both at the track and back at the factory. Adam Cooper profiles the motorsport professional in Andrea Stella on apples, pears, peaches… and papaya McLarens.

Is the Monaco Grand Prix Still Viable?

CEO Magazine profiles head of BMW M Motorsport Andreas Roos. “I was going to follow my family, but at the last minute decided to study mechanical engineering,” he reveals. “I decided my goal was to work in motorsport.” Read the profile at Full throttle: Andreas Roos.

Is the Monaco Grand Prix Still Viable?

Sportscar365 profiles Cadillac Racing program manager Keely Bosn on her passion for racing, the upcoming IMSA Detroit round and her journey from Nay Seals to GM. “I had great leaders and some of the most fantastic leadership experiences with the Navy SEALs,” Bosn said. “I realized that so much of everything is team-based. And that’s what I really love about coming back to motorsports—the team aspect.” You can read the profile at Michelin IMSA Insider: Corvettes to SEALs, Bosn’s Journey to GM.

Mark Boudreau
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.

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