The Long Beach Grand Prix vibe is one of the topics in this week’s Business of Motorsport Roundup as IndyCar looks to infuse other races with that Southern California magic. I also have news on F1’s attempts to race in Africa, more FIA chaos and the latest sponsorship deals and partnerships.
Motorsport Industry News
Formula 1
The competition between Cape Town and Kyalami to host the first Formula 1 race in Africa is heating up as the South African government has indicated that they are reviewing the bids from both regions. The battle amongst the claimants to the prize is fierce.
“The cast of characters [trying to bring a Formula 1 race to Africa] includes a Porsche executive, a winemaker, a street racing promoter, an Austrian driver and a wartime president. If F1 returns to the continent, South Africa is seen as a strong contender, largely because of its lead on infrastructure, says a person familiar with the deliberations who asked not to be identified discussing private matters.”
The only issue may be Formula 1 itself as F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says that the plans for Africa are not there yet. “That’s not the right word,” Domenicali said. “Before taking that step, we need guarantees on three fronts: investment that benefits the community beyond F1’s presence, infrastructure (not just a circuit, but hotels, roads, airports), and an economic base that can support the event long-term. We’re not on standby – we’re working to assess what’s still missing before we can say, ‘Okay, let’s go.’ But we’re not there yet.”
Meanwhile, Mark Hughes in Motorsport Magazine explains how an engine civil war threatens to erupt following crisis meetings last weekend. “In hindsight, the ’26 regulations appear ill-conceived. Some senior engineers and a few team principals are in fact very much in ‘I told you so’ mode and are still bitter at how at an early stage in the planning of the regulations they were taken out of the loop as senior automotive management insisted they didn’t need their interference in the process.”
The calendar for F1 in 2026 appears to be fluid with a number of changes on the horizon. Domenicali admits that the days of the Imola race could be numbered while concerns around the Madrid race set to debut in 2026 have been eased after organizers recently signed a construction contract.
With the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix set for this weekend, there were a number of news items related to racing in the Gulf country. The first was the release of renderings of its future Qiddiya circuit, featuring a 20-story-high opening corner. The circuit is set to replace the current Jeddah circuit in 2027.
The Kingdom has indicated that they would also be open to owning an F1 team in the future. “There is a space available,” he replied when the notion of a Saudi – or PIF-led – squad was put to him on a recent call with reporters, including Autosport. “There are only 11 out of 12 and also potentially one or two teams that might be for sale in the future. I mean, it could happen.”
This article from The Drive discusses the challenges faced by Formula 1 during the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix, particularly focusing on the issues with the TV broadcast that hindered viewer experience. Despite the thrilling on-track action, fans were frustrated by the absence of live timing graphics, which are crucial for understanding the race dynamics. This situation highlights a broader dilemma for F1 as it navigates a potential $180 million media rights deal amidst declining viewer engagement and competition for broadcast rights. The article emphasizes the importance of delivering a compelling viewing experience to maintain the sport’s value and appeal.
To read more, visit the original article here.
General Motorsport Industry News
The controversy over the current leadership of FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has continued unabated this week. Last week deputy president Robert Reid resigned from his post and this week he has taken to Substack to clarify his reasons for quitting the post. In the published statement he thanked those within motorsport and the FIA member clubs who had sent him messages of support – and once again emphasized what he sees as a lack of communication and transparency from above.
If you want to read a list of every big controversy the FIA president has been involved in so far, Motorsport Magazine has a list.
After a successful 50th edition of the Long Beach Grand Prix, the first under the direct control of Penske Entertainment, organizers indicated that they want to bring the Long Beach vibe to more IndyCar events after a hugely successful weekend. “This is my 19th year going there, and now it’s very different from a promoter standpoint for me,” Denker told RACER. “To see the people lined up along the fence in front of the grandstands, three or four deep, just light up… They were along the fence because general admission tickets were all we had left; they couldn’t get a seat because every seat was sold.”
Can there be a business case for Liberty Media scheduling both a Formula 1 and MotoGP in the Gulf region at the same time? Richard Asher of Autosport thinks so.
“While safety considerations (if nothing else) make the idea of F1 and MotoGP sharing the same bill fantasy for the moment, Liberty must have noted Sunday evening’s phenomenon with interest. This kind of neighbourly scheduling and friendly television offering could be engineered! It’s not hard to imagine a similar package, inevitably involving the word ‘super’, in a world where Liberty has a ‘bouquet of motorsport products’ in its ‘portfolio’.”
Quick Takes on the Business of Motorsport This Week
- Lando Norris stars in street racing-inspired Monster Energy film (SIG)
- F1 CEO calls for more ‘controversy’ to ‘spice up’ the sport (RacingNews365)
- NASCAR, Elevate partner to create premium experience program across 13 tracks (Jayski)
- NASCAR tests new streaming option to expand international reach (SportSkeeda)
- Beirer: KTM financial struggles and MotoGP results are not linked (Autosport)
- More than 30,000 spectators enjoy GT World Challenge Europe opener at Circuit Paul Ricard (SRO)
- South African Endurance Series CEO Arrested (SAES)
- Daytona 500 Champ William Byron on NASCAR Media Evolution, Passion for Golf (Front Office Sports)
- Garry Rogers Motorsport renews push to sell 15-car S5000 fleet (SpeedCafe)
- SOFTSWISS ignites Brazil with ‘Race Like a Legend’ experience (Focus Gaming News)
- ‘The Beast’ powered IndyCar, while ‘T-Rex’ was too scary for NASCAR (Sports Business Journal)
- Motorsport UK British Kart Championship entries down 12.8% for opening rounds (The Motorsport Saga by Alan Dove)
- 100 Years of Women in Motorsport: A Conversation with Nancy Heslin (Females in Motorsport)
- Inside Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s $300 Million Fortune and His Business Empire (Essentially Sports)
- Skip Barber Racing School Welcomes Bryan Lima as Director of Experiential Marketing (Skip Barber)
- Speed, Precision, and Excellence: How Kyle Patel of Bitlux Combines Aviation and Racing (Grit)
- PRI and SEMA Help Defeat Oregon Bill and Save Iconic Race Track Portland International Raceway (PIR) (PRI)
- Did You Notice?: If NASCAR Short Tracks Are In a Death Spiral? (Front Stretch)
- Trans Am/TA2 announces new Chevrolet engine deal (SpeedCafe)
- TSS The Super Series and SRO Join Forces to Accelerate Southeast Asian Motorsports to the Global Stage (Thailand Super Series)
- Crowds Pack Stands For Endurance Cup Opener At Paul Ricard (Daily Sportscar)
- Motorsport Network And Yahoo Sports Partner To Expand Audience (Forbes)
- Ford’s Frightening Ultimatum: $40 Billion Sponsor’s Terrifying Warning Shakes USA Amid Trump’s Policies (Motorcycle Sports)
- SRO Motorsports and The University of Texas Announce Groundbreaking Executive Education Collaboration: GT RACEXEC (GT4 America)
- Strapped for success – from racetrack to orbit (ROOM)
Highlights from the Sustainable Motorsport Roundup
The evolution of the Formula E race car is one of the topics covered in this week’s Sustainable Motorsport Roundup. In addition to this I have a look at how Formula 1 can tackle the problems of plastic waste and access to clean water, the status of Formula 1’s flirtation with V10 engines and a look at the Renegade Racer.
The Numbers
Motorsports viewership in the U.S. last weekend via Adam Stern:
1) NASCAR Cup (FS1): 2.054 million
2) F1 (ESPN2): 1.277 million
3) NASCAR Xfinity (The CW): 1.001 million
4) IndyCar (Fox): 552,000
5) Supercross (NBC + Peacock): 526,000
6) NASCAR Trucks (FS1): 498,000
7) NHRA (FS1): 418,000
8) IMSA (USA Network): 81,000
9) MotoGP (FS1 midnight replay): 43,000
US viewership: F1 hits season-high audience of 1.27m on ESPN2 for Bahrain GP (BlackBook Motorsport)
Blinkfire Formula 1 Japanese GP: Social Media Value Rankings
Motorsport Law Roundup
A look at some of the legal and regulatory issues and analysis in Motorsport this week
NASCAR has filed a motion to amend its counterclaim against 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports based on information found during discovery. “In its motion, NASCAR says that after the deadline for filing its counterclaim, the teams “produced more than 200,000 pages of emails, texts, and memoranda.”
Motorsport Sponsorship, Partnership News and Analysis
Here are the latest motorsport sponsorship deals, partnerships and related analysis that were announced this week
- Maserati named Official Cars Supplier for GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS (GT World Challenge Europe)
- Formula 1 welcomes Barilla Pasta as an Official Partner (F1)
- Katherine Legge Revs Up NASCAR Comeback with e.l.f. Cosmetics Sponsorship and Expanded Schedule (Motorcycle Sports)
- Penfed Credit Union renews partnership with Sabré cook for 2025 Porsche Carrera Cup season (RTD)
- LVMH misses sales forecast as core business slumps in first quarter (Reuters)
- AIX Investment Group steps into Formula 1 with Pierre Gasly (Gulf Business)
- PartsInMotion.co.uk Returns to BTCC with Sponsorship (The Brake Report)
- NASCAR partners with Recast to stream PPV races in overseas markets (BlackBook Motorsport)
- Telcel to support Trackhouse’s Daniel Suárez at home race in Mexico (BlackBook Motorsport)
- NASCAR seeks ‘US$15m’ from replacement sponsor for Xfinity series (BlackBook Motorsport)
- NASCAR hires Klutch to sell Xfinity Series entitlement (Sports Business Journal)
- MotoGP and brand tech: why technology loves speed (RTR Sports Marketing)
- Red Bull Racing extension sees Bacardi focus on promoting Patrón in F1 (BlackBook Motorsport)
- Real American Beer Accelerates Into Dirt Racing as Official Beer of World Racing Group (World of Outlaws)
- F1’s Marketing Power Play (Drive Sports Marketing)
- Adelaide 500 scores BP as new title sponsor (SpeedCafe)
- The ‘Grand Prix Effect’: How Motorsport Weekends Became The New Festival Circuit For Brands (Forbes)
- Markazia Toyota Takes the Lead in Motorsports with Sponsorship of Three Major Rallies (Jordan News)
- Hawkeswood Mining is naming sponsor for New Zealand’s 2025 North Island Rally Series (Talk Motorsport)
- $80 Billion Worth Richest Mexican Tycoon Extends Support to Latino NASCAR Driver (Essentially Sports)
- Motorsport Games Inc. Announces $2.5 Million Strategic Investment led by Virtual Reality Company Pimax (Motorsport Games)
- Breaking down F1’s 2025 sponsorship portfolio (BlackBook Motorsport)
- Wedbush Securities Joins Dreyer & Reinbold Racing/Cusick Motorsports as Primary Sponsor for 2025 Indy 500 With Ryan Hunter-Reay (Business Wire)
- FES Lighting renews Team Kalitta partnership (Kalitta)
- Registix Partners with JR Motorsports in Multi-Year, Multi-Car Sponsorship (Toby Christie)
- HMD Motorsports and SAF-Holland group renew partnership for 2025 Indy NXT season (RTD)
The Business of Running a Race Team
When chronicling the story of Algarve Pro Racing’s rise from a family-run grassroots test team to one of the premier privateer operations in sportscar racing, an element that cannot be ignored is that neither co-owner, Stewart nor Sam Cox, planned for any of it to happen. Read their inspiring story here.
Team & Manufacturer News
Here is a roundup of the latest team news from around the world of motorsport
- One Motorsport reveal 2025 Honda Civic Type R challengers (Touring Car Times)
- Dan Fallows set to leave Aston Martin organization (Autosport)
- “I was always the mother hen”: When Kelley Earnhardt spoke about taking charge of Dale Jr.’s business decisions (SportSkeeda)
- GM explains Supercars, NASCAR transfer plans (SpeedCafe)
- Q&A with RLL president Jay Frye (RACER)
- Long-time Jaguar Formula E boss James Barclay to leave team at end of the season (Crash)
- Genesis gives first look at LMDh Hypercar set to tackle 2026 Le Mans, WEC (Autosport)
- Genesis Hypercar Engine Completes First Fire-Up (Daily Sportscar)
- How Alpine moved from “rock bottom” to fighting Verstappen (Adam Cooper)
- BMW considering GTP program shake-up for 2026 (RACER)
- PMA Motorsport to run two Audi RS 3s for Nic Taylor and Felice Jelmini (TCR Europe)
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.
