Christian Horner has broken his silence, and you can hear what he has to say in this week’s edition of the Business of Motorsport Roundup. I also have more reaction to F1’s African Grand Prix announcement, the latest motorsport legal news and more.
Overview
Motorsport Industry News
Formula 1’s Rwanda Decision Continues to Reverberate Globally
The decision of Formula 1 to sign a 10 year contract with Rwanda for an African Grand Prix has caused waves globally. From the economics of the deal and its benefits to the region, to human rights concerns by neighbors and more, the impact of the decision is continuing to reverberate in both positive and negative ways.
- The economic engine driving Rwanda’s historic F1 deal (Mail & Guardian)
- South African minister fires punchy response after Rwanda handed major F1 contract (Racing News365)
- F1 handed brutal ‘one race in Africa’ verdict after Rwanda deal confirmed (Motorsport Week)
- What one image can’t show you about Rwanda F1 track (The Race)
- Why Formula 1 Is Trading European Heritage for a $60M African Grand Prix (Paddock & Percent)
- What F1’s return to Africa means for a continent long overlooked by global sports (TSN)
Malaysia Considering Permanent F1 Return after Bahrain GP Success
After the success of the Bahrain GP in Malaysia, Malaysia wants Sepang to return permanently to the F1 calendar. Motorsport Week reports that the Bahrain GP in Malaysia was received positively by both fans and drivers after the Sepang circuit once again made an impression. Now, the country intends to host more Grand Prix, possibly even in collaboration with other countries.
“Staging F1 is not cheap. It involves quite substantial costs, and there are several important aspects that we need to assess. If we look at 2017, ticket sales were only about 30.000, compared with nearly 100.000 tickets this year.”
Why Hockenheim’s F1 Return Stalls Despite Ongoing Talks
While the Hockenheimring remains eager to welcome back F1, managing directors Joern Teske and Jochen Nerpel reveal what blocks a definitive path forward. “We are in discussions. Formula 1’s priority, of course, is that the overall conditions at the Hockenheimring are right.”
F1 and MotoGP Still Plan to Race Despite Middle East Tensions
Both Formula 1 and MotoGP have indicated that they still intend to race in Qatar and Abu Dhabi despite ongoing conflicts in the region. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem says he wouldn’t take F1 to a place he felt was “risky” – and anticipates both races in the Middle East will go ahead while the MotoGP teams association has informed teams that it intends to press ahead with the Qatar Grand Prix in just under three weeks’ time, despite the volatile situation in the Middle East.
Catalan Government Places Spanish IndyCar Race on Public Calendar
RACER reports that according to a schedule announcement by the local government where the circuit Barcelona-Catalunya is located in Spain, an IndyCar Series event at the track will be confirmed in a presentation on Friday (today).
UPDATE: The race has now been confirmed by IndyCar.
Australian Grand Prix Corporation Looks Beyond F1 and Supercars
As Supercars locks in a five-year deal to race at Phillip Island, the Australian Grand Prix Corporation is looking to expand its event portfolio beyond Formula 1 and Supercars, with CEO Travis Auld revealing that plans to grow the organization’s operations were already underway before Victoria lost MotoGP to South Australia.
Meanwhile, SpeedCafe reveals that Supercars is poised to reveal a 14-round 2027 calendar after striking a crucial deal with its five ‘breakaway’ teams.
Quick Takes on the Business of Motorsport This Week
- Lando Norris’s business empire explained: Quadrant, LN4 Fusion and Seat Unique (Yahoo Sports)
- F1 2026: Drivers Are Making Business Investments Off the Track (Yahoo Sports)
- F1’s Teams Grew Revenue 13% in 2025. Only Mercedes Reports Strong Profit Margins (Money in Sport)
- How to read an F1 team’s accounts (Mark Hendy)
- Guy Horner’s TBA Group acquires Second Sunday (SIG)
- How Horner, Brown and Wolff made their fortunes from F1 (The Race)
- Chapman Freeborn joins BlackBook Motorsport (Chapman Freeborn)
- The F1 Paddock’s Supporting Cast Has Become Part of the Show (Paddock Journal)
- Miami, Messi & Metrics: Inside Marsh’s opening stint in F1 (Sector)
- MotorSport New Zealand opens tender for Rally Championship Promoter from 2028 (Motorsport New Zealand)
- FIA imposes strict 2027 rules to stop F1 teams exploiting cost cap (MSports)
- In Formula 1, Lunch Is Now a Compliance Risk (Paddock Pass)
- FIA Opens New Remote Operations Centre at Biggin Hill Ushering in a New Era for F1 Race Management (FIA)
- F1, rollercoasters and premium clubs: Inside COTA’s plan to create a year-round business (BlackBook Motorsport)
- Pitching Different: How SMG operates two playbooks in Austin and Vegas (Sector)
- ABX New York examines next era of motorsports growth in the USA (AR1)
- World Racing Group Acquires SLS Promotions, Expanding Its Race Promotion Footprint (World of Outlaws)
Highlights from the Sustainable Motorsport Roundup
Porsche Formula E Gen4 Race Car Begins Testing
The Porsche Formula E team has begun testing their new Gen4 race car at Monza recently and I have the details in this week’s Sustainable Motorsport Roundup. I also have details of hydrogen at Le Mans, how Formula E is accelerating the EV transition and much more.
The Numbers This Week
GT World Reaches New Heights with 9.7 Million Live Views of Season Finale at Portimão
GT World ended its 2026 season on a spectacular high at Portimão, attracting a record 9.7 million views of the finale’s live coverage on YouTube. Coupled with a superb on-site attendance of 28,000, this was the perfect conclusion to a phenomenal year of growth.
It was always clear that Portimão would be special. The entry list hinted at an incredible level of competition, with 61 cars representing the biggest-ever grid outside the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa. The track is spectacular, boasting dramatic elevation changes and epic scenery. And, with four-time Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen among the challengers, there were more eyes than ever before on GT World.
Motorsport Law Roundup
Inside the JGR-Spire Motorsports Lawsuit
Ex-Racing Director Says Deleted Texts Don’t Merit Sanctions
The former competition director for NASCAR superteam Joe Gibbs Racing LLC said his “candor” should save him from sanctions after he admitted to deleting text messages with the owner of a rival team before his old employer sued him for trade secrets theft.
Spire says JGR is Seeking ‘Nearly $150 million’ in Lawsuit
In a Tuesday night filing opposing a request to alter the case schedule, Spire Motorsports revealed that Joe Gibbs Racing is seeking nearly $150 million in damages. Gibbs filed a lawsuit back in February against its former competition director, Chris Gabehart, and Spire Motorsports, alleging stolen trade secrets and breach of contract. The organization has since asked the Western District of North Carolina to adjust the timeline for certain events’ due dates because of recently court-ordered discovery. The original reported damages number was $8 million.
Judge OKs NASCAR Team Data Breach Deal Citing Weak Case
A North Carolina federal court has granted final approval to a settlement featuring $132,000 in cash payouts to a NASCAR team’s employees over a data breach, with the judge casting doubt on whether the plaintiffs could have won their case.
A Bologna Courtroom Shadows Antonelli’s Title Charge
Kimi Antonelli is one weekend away in Austin that could make him Formula 1 world champion. As of this week, he is also a defendant in a Bologna civil suit that reaches into every pay slip, pole position bonus and race-win cheque he has banked since entering the sport.
The court has ordered both the driver and his Mercedes team to hand over copies of the contracts they signed, together with detailed accounting records covering payments made since Antonelli entered Formula 1. Toto Wolff, Mercedes’ Team Principal and CEO, was named in the order as the team’s representative in the proceedings.
The Legal Perspective on Motorsport Australia’s Historic Tobacco Livery Ban
Are you still advertising tobacco products on the livery of your historic car?
On 8 September 2026, Motorsport Australia revised Technical Schedule K of the Motorsport Australia Manual (MA Manual) to introduce a blanket ban on the display, publication or promotion of any regulated tobacco product. The changes to Schedule K aim to ensure all Motorsport Australia competitors comply with Australian public health legislation.
The practical effect of this change is that ‘Category 5 Automobiles’, that is, historic cars, are no longer permitted to display tobacco-related elements on their liveries. The change is highly controversial because tobacco-related elements are sometimes integral to the authentic presentation of historic, replica or tribute liveries.
From a legal perspective, Australian public health legislation imposes broad prohibitions on tobacco-related advertising. On its face, Motorsport Australia has clarified that tobacco-related liveries are no longer permitted. But the question remains: is it unlawful for competitors to display historic tobacco liveries?
Auto Action has the legal analysis over a new get-tough policy in Australia.
F1 Legal Battle Erupts in Texas as Former Supplier Takes Rival to Court
A dispute about the design used by the FIA’s exclusive fuel flow meter supplier has bubbled up ahead of this weekend’s United States Grand Prix. A lawsuit has been lodged in a court in Texas, with the previous fuel flow supplier putting pressure on the incumbent as Formula 1 returns to the United States.
Motorsport UK is Seeking a Regulatory Counsel
Motorsport UK is seeking a Regulatory Counsel to lead its regulatory legal function, advising on disciplinary matters, sporting regulations, governance, and compliance.
The Role
The role will involve managing regulatory cases, advising on the application of National Competition Rules, supporting judicial and disciplinary proceedings, and supervising the Commercial Counsel and Paralegal. The successful candidate will also contribute to policy development and the ongoing improvement of Motorsport UK’s regulatory framework.
- Location: Bicester Motion
- Working: Full-time, hybrid (4 days office-based, 1 day remote)
- Salary: £60,000–£65,000
- Qualification: Qualified solicitor or barrister in England and Wales, or equivalent UK qualification
- Experience: At least 2 years of in-house legal experience; regulatory experience required
Apply here: https://www.lawinsport.com/component/content/article/3080-regulatory-counsel-motorsport-uk
Motorsport Sponsorship, Partnership News and Analysis
- Adobe and BWT Alpine Formula One Team Partner to Fuel Fan Engagement with AI-powered Experiences (Alpine)
- How Louis Vuitton Is Evolving Its Formula 1 Sponsorship (Alex Kopilow)
- A Closer Look At The Special Liveries for COTA (Sunday’s Sponsors)
- Formulate XP unites five specialists to show what F1 sponsorship delivers (Sector)
- British Superbike Championship extends Carole Nash Official Insurance Partnership (BSB)
- Sources: Fifth Third Bank expected to drop RFK Racing sponsorship for 2027 after 15-year run (SBJ)
- Sponsor Debrief: Triple Header (Azerbaijan, Bahrain & Singapore) (Sunday’s Sponsors)
- Frontieras eyes global stage with Cadillac F1 deal ahead of US GP debut (Sector)
- Teijin Limited Renews 8-year Partnership with Paysafe Envision Formula E Team (Envision)
- VCARB Announces Introl as New Partner (VCARB)
- Mercedes F1 secures global payments partnership with Stripe (SIG)
- McLaren Teams Up With AbbVie Before Formula 1 United States GP At COTA (Forbes)
The Business of Running a Race Team
The Business of McLaren: Championship Success vs. Financial Reality
McLaren’s success in Formula 1 is about far more than winning championships. Behind its on-track achievements lies a complex business built on sponsorship, commercial partnerships, brand value and the enormous costs of competing at the highest level. These two articles explore different sides of that operation: how McLaren has built its commercial strength and why, despite record revenue and championship success, its financial accounts can still show a substantial loss. Together, they offer a fascinating look at the business realities behind one of motorsport’s most successful teams.
- The Business of McLaren F1 (Tiggy Valen)
- McLaren Won the F1 Championship and Made £588M. So Why the Loss? (Paddock & Percent)
Team & Manufacturer News
- Britain’s Nitrous Competitions ADM Racing set to join the 2027 Euroformula Open (Euroformula)
- Alpine Drivers Not Expecting A424 Seats as Geely Hopes Fade (Sportscar365)
- Lando Norris faces anxious wait as F2 prepares to decide future of his racing team (Motorsport.com)
- TDS Returns to Two-Car LMP2 Effort in 2027 (Sportscar365)
- Eurointernational unveils ambitious plans for the 2027 racing season (Eurointernational)
- DEForce Racing Set for TCR Debut With CUPRA (Sportscar365)
- When Cadillac will open its F1 engine factory (Autosport)
- Inception Switches to Corvette for 2027 GTD Campaign (Sportscar365)
- Dumarey Acquires Alpine Viry-Chatillon Engine Facility (Sportscar365)
Motorsport Movers & Shakers
Christian Horner
Christian Horner has broken his silence since his sacking by Red Bull, speaking to numerous video outlets as well as having written a book about his motorsport Expeiences so far.
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.
