Mercedes F1

Liberty Acquires MotoGP Commercial Rights

MotoGP

Liberty Media has acquired the commercial rights to MotoGP which means they now own the commercial rights to two global motorsport franchises. It is the headline story in this week’s Business of Motorsport Roundup. I also have details on the financial boost that Las Vegas received from their inaugural Grand Prix, IndyCar’s ongoing attempts at … Read more

More Uncertainty Over Audi F1 Bid

Audi F1 Airbox

More uncertainty is clouding the Audi F1 bid as yet another top-level executive leaves the manufacturer. Whether they continue with their F1 plans or not is part of this week’s edition of the Business of Motorsport. I also look at the finances of F1 and the teams that race in it, NASCAR’s new breed of … Read more

Keeping Vintage Racing Alive with Sustainable Fuels

Vintage Sports-Car Club

Keeping vintage racing alive with sustainable fuels is something that is finding more support to keep vintage cars racing while reducing their carbon footprint. In addition to sustainable vintage racing, I bring you behind the scenes in the development of the new hydrogen-powered Extreme H race car, the Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally’s rally debut and … Read more

IndyCar is On a Roll

IndyCar

IndyCar is on a roll as they enter new media negotiations on the back of their best viewing numbers since 2016. It’s all part of this week’s Business of Motorsport. I also look at the two new racing teams that made Forbes’ list of the World’s 50 Most Valuable Sports Teams, the possible return of … Read more

New Electric Sports Car Series Launched

Elite World Cup

A new electric sports car series has been launched, but will it succeed where other attempts have failed? This week I also look at how F1 is attempting to influence governments to embrace sustainable fuel technologies, how IMSA is a platform for environmental change and how visible changes are coming to the Gen3 Formula E … Read more

Felipe Massa Turns Closer to the Courts

Felipe Massa

Felipe Massa has reportedly taken the first step in potential legal action against Formula 1 and the FIA over the outcome of the 2008 world championship. How this will play out is anybody’s guess, but it is part of the Business of Motorsport this week. I also look at how the Las Vegas Grand Prix … Read more

Delivering Sustainable High Performance

McLaren Formula E Race Car

This week encompasses what Toto Wolff calls sustainable high performance. Just because a racing series is using sustainable technology does not mean that it is anything but high performance. Some of the topics covered are the use of sustainable aviation fuel by Mercedes F1, how Envision Racing are fighting climate change and the 7 ways … Read more

IndyCar Sees Positive Momentum After Iowa Double-Header

Indycar Iowa

IndyCar is seeing positive momentum after their recent Iowa double-header and this week in the Business of Motorsport you will get all the details. I also look at the chances of Andretti making the F1 grid, a look into the business of NASCAR and how McLaren is using AI in their Formula E race car … Read more

Formula E is Starting to Mature as a Racing Series

Formula E Monaco 2023

Formula E is starting to mature as a racing series and this week’s Sustainable Motorsport Roundup brings you some opinions as to why. In addition to Formula E, this week I cover topics ranging from how Mercedes F1 plans to become the world’s most sustainable sports team to how greenwashing is going to start to … Read more

ACO Doubles Their 24 Hours of Le Mans Hydrogen Bet

H24 Race Car

The ACO has doubled their hydrogen bet for the 24 Hours of Le Mans as they have announced that they want the top class to be all hydrogen by 2030. Along with this fascinating sustainable motorsport development, I have news on an electric Hyundai rally car, recycled plastic IndyCar tires, biofueled F1 trucks and McLaren … Read more

Honda Makes Surprising Reversal in F1 and Other Intriguing Motorsport Developments

Invicta Virtuosi Racing

Honda making a surprising reversal in F1 highlights this week’s Business of Motorsport Roundup as I cover that and other intriguing motorsport developments. I also look at whether the AlphaTauri F1 team is or is not for sale, what it is like running the “greatest spectacle in racing,” the possibility of the return of A1 … Read more

Sustainable Motorsport is Still Motorsport

Sierra Echo EV

Let’s be perfectly clear, sustainable motorsport is still motorsport through and through. As Michael Andretti stated when asked about his Formula E team, racing is racing. Why do I say this? Because too often I hear the comment that racing using sustainable technologies, especially electric racing, is not real racing because it has “no soul” … Read more

Sustainable Fuels are Now Powering Historic Race Cars

Sebastian Vettel with Williams FWB14

Sustainable fuels are now powering historic race cars as Sebastien Vettel will demonstrate at Goodwood this summer, a development that will only accelerate in the coming years. It is interesting to note that this year, it is estimated that 20% of the cars in action at this year’s Festival of Speed, the 30th edition of … Read more

F1 Teams Bicker over Andretti as Saudi Arabia Looks to Attract Teams to the Kingdom

Andretti Cadillac F1 Car

While F1 teams continue to bicker over the possible addition of Andretti-Cadillac to the grid, Saudi Arabia is looking to poach teams from Motorsport Valley in this week’s Business of Motorsport roundup. It is not just Andretti that wants to join the F1 circus either as two teams from Asia are also looking to join … Read more

Las Vegas Goes All Out as Crypto Crashes

Las Vegas Grand Prix Grandstands

With the announcement that Wynn Las Vegas is offering a $1 million package for the Las Vegas Grand Prix in the midst of a cryptocurrency sports sponsorship meltdown, it has been an interesting week in the Business of Motorsport. In addition to grandstands on the Strip, I look at the support for the upcoming Detroit … Read more

How Will Cryptocurrency Chaos Affect Sports Sponsorship?

Mercedes F1 FTX

As the cryptocurrency ecosystem stumbles from one calamity to the next, the sports industry is starting to ask itself, how will this cryptocurrency chaos affect sports sponsorship? This is just one of the topics discussed in this week’s Business of Motorsport. Updated with more information regarding the collapse of FTX and Crypro.com’s position on these … Read more

Business of Motorsport for October 14, 2022

Justina Williams

If you were as mesmerized, horrified and otherwise bemused by the trainwreck that was Rich Energy’s sponsorship of the Haas F1 team in 2019 as I was, then this edition of the Business of Motorsport is for you. If you are also curious about the state of mobile phone provider Rokit’s role in sports sponsorship, … Read more

Sustainable Motorsport Roundup for October 8, 2022

Hot Rodding 2.0

This week’s Sustainable Motorsport Roundup is full of innovation, excitement and surprises. From electric hot rodding to sustainable race tracks to electric single-seater club racing, the heart of racing now often beats to a sustainable drum. In addition to the developments in sustainable motorsport technology like the BMW i4 racing in the STCC next year, … Read more

Business of Motorsport for September 30, 2022

Nissan Z GT4

This week’s Business of Motorsport is the one for you if you want to know how the business of sponsorship works in Formula 1. Sponsorship Consultant Tim Silvey explains on the Last Lap Podcast how the nature of sponsorship in Formula 1 has evolved since 2007 and how it now encompasses more than just a … Read more

Business of Motorsport for September 9, 2022

Van Diemen RF350

The Business of Motorsport just keeps getting bigger week after week and this week is no exception. From the state of drag racing in the United States to Porsche’s role in F1 and their upcoming IPO, from internship programs with race teams and series to the return of Van Dieman, it is all here. I … Read more