A new Concorde Agreement has been signed in Formula 1, and I have the details in this week’s Business of Motorsport Roundup. I also have details on F1 prize money, why the value of NASCAR charters are going up and much more.
Overview
Motorsport Industry News
Ben Sulayem Re-Elected as FIA President
Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been re-elected as president of the FIA. Ben Sulayem controversially ran unopposed in this year’s presidential election, which took place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, ahead of the 2025 prize-giving ceremony. The Emirati will serve a second four-year term, having first been elected in 2021 with 61.62% of the vote to then deputy president for sport Graham Stoker’s 36.62%.
Jake Boxall-Legge from Autosport looks at what’s next for Ben Sulayem after his controversial FIA tenure so far. “Ben Sulayem’s manifesto states that he wishes to continue his 2021 pledge to double motorsport involvement globally, which has seen a growth in low-cost categories across many of the smaller member clubs.”
F1 and FIA Agree New Five-Year Concorde Governance Agreement
Formula 1 management, governing body the FIA and all 11 teams have signed the latest 2026 Concorde Governance Agreement, which sets out how the series is run for the next five seasons.
The governance agreement forms the second part of the F1 Concorde Agreement, sitting alongside the commercial deal that was signed ahead of March’s Australian Grand Prix and will cover the period between 2026 to 2030.
It defines critical elements of how the championship is run, including the voting structure of F1 Commission meetings, entry fees paid by the teams to the FIA, the remit of the governing body and other logistics.
The new Concorde Governance Agreement dictates how the series is run over the next five years, with two key changes to the previous deal. Filip Cleeren of Autosport explains what they are.
Lando Norris Wins 2025 F1 Title by 2 Points Over Verstappen as Formula 1 Revenue Hits $4B Record
Lando Norris claimed the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship by just two points over Max Verstappen, securing McLaren’s first title since 2008. The narrow finish capped a season of record $4B revenue growth, strategic innovation, and intense three-way competition with Oscar Piastri. Vantage has all the details.
Las Vegas Grand Prix Could Bring Infrastructure Improvements With Race Extension
The Las Vegas Review Journal reports that the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority – LVCVA are in early talks with Formula 1 about extending the race, which is contracted to occur on the weekend before Thanksgiving through 2027, for another five to 10 years, through potentially 2037. If that is achieved, F1’s parent company, Liberty Media, would look at making capital investments around the 3.8-mile track, which includes portions of Las Vegas Boulevard, Koval and Harmon and Sands avenues, to further smooth out race infrastructure-related work, including moving the Flamingo [temporary] bridge, according to LVCVA president and CEO Steve Hill.
“There’s options available that might be better than where that bridge is now,’ Hill said. ‘Everybody involved would love it if there was a better location than right there on that intersection (Flamingo and Koval). We can continue to do it the way we’re doing it, but it would be terrific if we could eliminate two weeks each year where that intersection was closed. … It would save Formula One a bunch of money. It would save the community a bunch of disruption. It would be fantastic if that could work out.”
Portuguese Grand Prix Returns to F1 From 2027 Onwards
Algarve International Circuit will return to the Formula 1 calendar for the 2027 and 2028 seasons. Located near Portimao in southern Portugal, the track will take Zandvoort’s spot as the Dutch circuit exits after just a six-year stint.
F1 Prize Money Reveals Huge Multi-Million Increases in 2025
Annually, Liberty Media hands out millions in prize money to the 10 — soon to be 11 — F1 teams. RacingNews365 understands that 45 per cent of Formula 1’s total revenue goes directly to the teams and they have the details on how it is distributed.
FIA Reveals First Look at WRC 2027 Cars
The FIA has offered up a first look at the World Rally Championship cars of the future, built under the new technical regulations that will come into force from 2027. The new technical regulations, which will span a 10-year period, are designed to be more affordable and flexible in a bid to attract new manufacturers and teams to the series. Cars will be built to a €345,000 cost cap, deliver approximately 290 horsepower, comprise of a space frame chassis and utilize some Rally2 componentry.
IndyCar, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Boss Doug Boles’ Plate Full for 2026
Indycar president Doug Boles explains to Autoweek his upcoming priorities including how northeastern US remains a targeted area for expansion, a potential that the next-generation car might hit the track early in 2026 while prepping for a 2028 debut and his hopes for a third engine manufacturer. Read all the details here.
NASCAR Investors Say Charter Values Have Already Increased with New Evergreen Provisions
Adam Stern reports that several NASCAR team investors and industry executives feel charter values have gone up overnight with the establishment of evergreen provisions, with the most bullish of them predicting a near doubling of value right away.
Craig Stimmel Brings WWE Playbook To NASCAR Sponsorship Strategy
When Craig Stimmel joined NASCAR as Senior VP and Chief Commercial Officer in 2024, he brought with him a playbook written by the sports, spectacle, and storytelling of the WWE where he led global sales and partnership.
“Looking ahead, [NASCAR CCO Craig Stimmel] sees the potential for further evolution. ‘We’re going to create new assets that we might not even know about yet. Maybe something floating in Lake Lloyd at Daytona. Maybe a rooftop experience. There’s a million things we could do that other sports can’t replicate. That’s our secret sauce.'”
MotoGP Closes 2025 with Record-Breaking Growth
MotoGP says it has passed 60 million total social media followers globally and that its research shows half of its fanbase is under the age of 35 for a fifth consecutive year, according to a 2025 highlight sheet it’s releasing today.
Quick Takes on the Business of Motorsport This Week
- How an Italian manufacturer is at the heart of single-seater racing’s flourishing middle ground (Autosport Plus)
- Alain Prost envisages Renault return to F1 being ‘very difficult’ (Motorsport Week)
- Where You Stay Has Become As Important As The Race Itself: The Evolution of F1 Hospitality (The Paddock Journal)
- F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is more than just racing, says Yas Marina Circuit GM (Arab News)
- Auckland Council arm ‘can’t see a case’ to revive dormant speedway (SpeedCafe)
- IHRA Acquires F1 Powerboat Racing (Speed Sport)
- IHRA Acquires Maple Grove Raceway (Speed Sport)
- F1 2026 Regulations – Terminology Update (F1)
- F1 and FIA unveil new renders and terminology for 2026 (Autosport)
- IHRA Makes Plans To Enter Dirt Racing Arena (Speed Sport)
- Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series acquired by FloSports (Racing News)
- Clubs informed of Strategic Structure Review being undertaken by Motorsport Ireland (The Irish Examiner)
- Riedel Communications and Racing Electronics announce motorsport communications partnership for US market (PMW)
- FIA closing on new WRC Promoter decision (DirtFish)
- Toyota Gazoo Racing Is Exhibiting at Tokyo Auto Salon 2026 With Several Novelties in Tow (Auto Evolution)
- James Allen joins Right Formula leadership team (Sector)
- The fast and the future-focused are revolutionizing motorsport (MIT Technology Review)
- Formula 1’s Fashion Revolution (The Paddock Journal)
- Josh Blanksby appointed as Motorsport Australia CEO (Motorsport Australia)
- From laboratory to track: How Scuderia Ferrari HP combines chemistry and engineering (Planet F1)
- Le Mans rebrands Dunlop Bridge with Goodyear (RACER)
Highlights from the Sustainable Motorsport Roundup
Formula E Publishes Season 10 Sustainability Report
Formula E has released their Season 10 sustainability report and I have the details in this week’s Sustainable Motorsport Roundup. I also have details on the FIA Environmental Handbook, Toyota’s work on hydrogen and more.
The Numbers This Week
Insight to Share: Norris Wins 2025 F1 Championship
Congrats to Lando Norris and McLaren Racing on their 2025 Formula 1 World Championship! Norris also had a standout year on social media, adding 3 million new followers and generating nearly $30 million in media value. This championship season proved just how strong his digital influence has become in the world of racing.
Motorsport Law Roundup
NASCAR Antitrust Lawsuit Settlement Analysis
With the mid-trial settlement of the NASCAR anti-trust settlement last week, there has been time for some analysis of what it all means. Here are some great looks at the settlement and what may come next.
- NASCAR Settles Antitrust Lawsuit After $1.06B Underpayment Reveal (Vantage)
- Breaking down the NASCAR antitrust settlement (Sports Business Journal)
- Jeffrey Kessler told everyone, including NASCAR, this was going to happen (RACER)
- Rick Hendrick speaks after the NASCAR lawsuit settlement (MotorBuzz)
Motorsport Sponsorship, Partnership News and Analysis
- Audi Revolut F1 Team reveals official name and Berlin launch date (Audi)
- OMP and Bell Racing become Official Suppliers of Mercedes-AMG Motorsport (Racing Force Group)
- Monaco Grand Prix renamed as Louis Vuitton takes over title deal for 2026 (Motorsport.com)
- “A catalyst for progress” – The importance of cybersecurity partners in F1 (Sector)
- From Maranello to the Met // Lewis Hamilton’s Fashion Revolution (Speedwell)
- FanCode to exclusively broadcast Formula 1 in India in multi-year agreement extension (F1)
- Sponsor Debrief: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Sunday’s Sponsors)
- Sunoco Makes its Return to INDYCAR, Joins Chip Ganassi Racing in Multi-Year Partnership (CGR)
- How 14 Brands Lit up the Strip for the 2025 Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix (Event Marketer)
- Lewis Hamilton and new Lululemon interim co-CEO mark special Edit launch in Regent St store (Fashion Network)
- Formula E extends partnership with Hackett Sport (Formula E)
- From Toy Box to Touchline: How LEGO Became a Power Player in Sports Brand Integration (Patrick Judge)
- TAG Heuer sees ‘huge’ impact from F1 in first year of decade-long LVMH sponsorship (Sports Business Journal)
- Formula E joins Roblox: Feenix debuts ‘Electric Lap’ (Formula E)
- Ten things we learned about sports sponsorship and marketing in 2025 (SportsPro)
- The top 10 sponsorship deals in 2025 (Sport Business)
- JR Motorsports, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Welcome Arby’s in Multi-Year Partnership (JR Motorsports)
- Prime Video Returns to Chase Elliott For Three-Race Sponsorship in 2026 (Toby Christie)
- AVEVA is announced as the new Technology Partner for Porsche Motorsport and Porsche Formula E Team (Albawaba)
- Liberty University Scales Back Sponsorship of No. 24 for Second Straight Year (Toby Christie)
- Netflix’s new obsession, F1’s next frontier and more unconventional rights deals: Our predictions for 2026 (SportsPro)
- Motorcraft Secures Naming Rights for Inaugural Season of Mustang Cup Australia (Sportscar365)
The Business of Running a Race Team
How Formula 1 Teams Have Learned to Live with the Cost Cap
Just as engineers respond and adapt with each change in technical regulations, financial brains do a similar job working to the finest margins within strictly controlled constraints – and they’ve got fresh updates to look forward to next season.
“Four years in, teams have become accustomed to dealing with the cost cap. Ultimately, it’s just another ruleset; just as engineers expend their time on developing an all-encompassing understanding of the FIA’s technical regulations, finance teams tackle the cost cap rules with a similar degree of fastidiousness. It’s the accounting world championship, and falling barely on the wrong side of the cap can levy very real consequences on a team as a whole. ”
Team & Manufacturer News
- Genesis IMSA program beginning to take shape (RACER)
- Abiteboul: GT3 Programme A “Long-Term Project” For Genesis (Daily Sportscar)
- Honda Says It’s ‘On the Eve of Something Very Special’ Ahead of Aston Martin F1 Partnership (AutoWeek)
- WAU renamed as Zak Brown exits team ownership (SpeedCafe)
- Proton targeting IMSA return in 2026 (RACER)
- Dick Johnson Racing announces landmark CEO signing (SpeedCafe)
- Less politics and focus on “pure racing”: Laurent Mekies’ targets for Red Bull (Motorsport.com)
- Hyundai to run a WRC2 spec machine in 2027? (Motorsport Week)
- Dreyer & Reinbold working on wider IndyCar campaign (RACER)
- Palou Motorsport, PREMA announce Eurocup-3 partnership (Prema)
- Chery eyes Le Mans entry with Exeed brand – reports (RACER)
- What’s going on with Verstappen’s 2026 GT plans (The Race)
- Team NZ Becomes First GT4 Team Confirmed For Bathurst 12 (Daily. Sportscar)
- Gresini Racing’s rollercoaster of MotoGP triumph and tragedy (Motorsport Magazine)
- Project Rally One set to join the FIA World Rally Championship from 2027 (FIA)
- Ganassi confirms four-car Indy NXT line-up (RACER)
- HRT Expands Mustang GT3 Program; Enters IGTC (Sportscar365)
- EBM to Return to Bathurst 12H With Porsche Pro Class Effort (Sportscar365)
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.
