The future of Formula One is a big focus of this week’s Business of Motorsport Roundup. From the future of the series in the United States, to Apple’s growth plans on the media side, you will find out what the main players are thinking. All this and much more!
Motorsport Industry News
The Future of Formula 1
As first quarter 2026 results were released showing an increase in revenues, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali was discussing the future of Formula 1 in a recent Autosport Business Exchange held during the Miami Grand Prix. He was especially buoyant about expanion in the United States after what looks like F1’s gamble on the Miami Grand Prix has paid off.
“If you think back, F1 has always been in the US, but randomly, I would say, in terms of presence,” Domenicali explained. “We were in Detroit, we were in Indianapolis, we were in Austin. And the last time we were in Austin, not 100 years ago, but just eight years ago, we had around 60,000 people. And now we have three races where the average attendance is huge. That means that the evolution of the love of Formula 1 in this country has been phenomenal.“
You can read and watch more about what Domenicali had to say in the following video and articles.
Formula 1 Continues to Debate What Should Power the Sport
Last week I mentioned the politics of F1 engines that has begun to dominate F1 citcles. Whether it is about what kind of tweaks to apply to the 2026 engines now and in the near future, or what type of power unit to use in 2030/31, opinions are starting to emerge. While the FIA president is pushing for sustainably-fueled V8s with minimal battery power, the teams and manufacturers are pushing back with their own suggestions. The FIA and F1 have also made it clear that the sport can no longer have manufacturers dictating the engine formula.
Here is a roundup of the current state of play on power units in F1.
F1’s Middle East Strategy Exposed By War-Driven Race Cancellations
Bloomberg looks at the long-term implications of the war in the Middle East and the effect it is having on Formula 1’s expansion strategy. They note that:
- The US-Iran war forced F1 to scrap the Bahrain and Saudi Grands Prix, costing it roughly $115M in hosting fees.
- For 20+ years, oil-rich Gulf states paid F1 huge sums to host races, making the region a core part of the racing calendar.
- Critics long flagged human rights concerns, but the real risk turned out to be regional instability, which leagues like the NBA must now factor into future deals.
Read more about the implications here.
Apple Reveals Early F1 2026 Viewership Surge After US Broadcast Rights Deal
Just three races into Apple’s first season as Formula 1’s exclusive broadcaster for the United States, Apple SVP Eddy Cue says viewership is “way up” versus last year’s numbers by ESPN – with fans watching more than just Sunday’s grand prix.
“The ratings were way up over where they were last year on linear for the first three races, significantly,” he said. “Not only did we see more viewers, but we also saw more viewers throughout the weekend. So one of the things that I think I was always excited about is… you look at today and tomorrow and Sunday, all three days are huge.”
Here is some more Apple-related F1 news:
Should F1 Drivers Be Consulted on the Rules?
Should Formula 1 drivers be consulted on formulating the rules for the series? Drivers certainly think so since they are the ones who drive the cars, and they have been consulted with the 2026 engine tweaks to great effect. But some teams are not so sure.
“I think the fact of the matter is we’re already probably too many around the table, because you just end up going around the circles. Adding five more of us isn’t going to help.”
Multi-team ownership is Becoming an Issue in F1
A stake in the BWT Alpine F1 Team is on the market and the battle to acquire it has become one of the most politically charged stories in the paddock. I have reported previously that Zak Brown strongly believes that an F1 team should not own multiple teams or even a stake in another team. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem agrees with the sentiment.
Golden Age of Endurance Racing Loses Yet Another Manufacturer
Acura will pause its factory GTP program in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship after the 2026 season. The announcement comes days after Meyer Shank Racing’s No. 93 Acura ARX-06 victory at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Vantage looks at how these affects sportscar racing and its “golden age.”
“This is not an isolated decision. Porsche ended its factory Hypercar program in the FIA WEC after the 2025 season, shifting full focus to IMSA and Formula E. Lamborghini placed its entire LMDh program on hold for 2026 after a single season in both series. Alpine is reportedly set to follow suit after 2026. What was sold as a new golden age of endurance racing, deep grids, diverse philosophies, and nights of wheel-to-wheel prototype warfare, is showing its first major fractures. These pauses should worry sponsors and promoters because manufacturer pullouts directly erode the premium sponsorship value that justifies top-tier activation budgets.”
MotoGP Confident it will “Reach an Agreement” with Manufacturers Over Commercial Cycle
While MotoGP has admitted to discussing the use of F1’s Miami track at some point in the future, the main focus right now is on reaching an agreement with manufacturers over the next commercial cycle from 2027 to 2031, despite negotiations dragging on for nearly a year.
“(Also) regarding the agreement with the manufacturers, the proposal for the future is different from what we had before, and all those changes take time to negotiate.”
GT3 Celebrates 20 Years While Looking to the Future
The GT3 category of sportscar racing has to be one of the most popular classes in the history of the sport. Diverse manufacturer support and a global calendar make it a true success story. Here are a few articles that look back on the category and look ahead to the future.
Quick Takes on the Business of Motorsport This Week
Miami GP Expansion Plans and More
Highlights from the Sustainable Motorsport Roundup
Extreme H Demonstrates Feasibility of Hydrogen in Motorsport
The Extreme E World Cup demonstrated the feasibility of using hydrogen as a fuel in motorsport and I have the details in this week’s Sustainable Motorsport Roundup. I also have news on a plant-based race car, Formula E’s Gen4 on track and much more!
The Numbers This Week
Miami F1 and NASCAR in Texas
Motorsport Law Roundup
JGR Trial Date Set Amidst Fresh Allegations
A trial date has been set in the Joe Gibbs Racing, Chris Gabehart, Spire lawsuit but JGR have decided to file fresh allegations against Spire as a result of Carson Hocevar’s recent win and performance.
“This sudden improvement in Spire’s Cup Series performance of course comes on the heels of Gabehart misappropriating JGR’s Confidential Information and Trade Secrets and providing Spire the same or similar services he provided JGR.”
Roush NASCAR Team Seeks Final OK For Data Breach Deal
Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing LLC, a professional stock car racing team, asked a North Carolina federal court Friday for final approval of a settlement in a data breach class action that will offer protection for fraud and identity theft.
FinTech in F1 and More Sponsorship News
The Business of Running a Race Team
How McLaren Went from the Brink of Disaster to F1 Glory | Zak Brown
Team & Manufacturer News
Are Spire Motorsports the Next Great Race Team?
Motorsport Movers & Shakers
Kathy Nowak Is Ready For Miami
Ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, Tiggy Valen of The Paddock Project spoke with Kathy Nowak, F1’s youngest-ever president of a Grand Prix on her first race weekend as president and the future she’s building for Miami.
You can read the full interview for free here.