Formula 1 is experiencing one of the most expansive moments in its recent history. As the championship enters a new sporting era marked by deep technical changes, the category is also consolidating a structural transformation that has turned it into one of the most powerful businesses in the global sports industry. Under the management of Liberty Media, the championship has managed to more than double its revenue in just a decade, rising from $1.796 billion in 2016 to nearly $3.873 billion in 2025, a figure that reflects how far the Grand Circus has expanded its reach beyond traditional motorsport.

The start of the season in Australia symbolizes this new chapter. The arrival of new teams, circuits, and the biggest regulatory change in its history—with renewed engines, lighter single-seaters, active aerodynamics, and sustainable fuels—reinforces the sporting appeal of the category. However, behind this momentum lies a business strategy that has broadened the championship’s target audience, moving it from its historic association with luxury and elite engineering toward an entertainment ecosystem capable of attracting much more diverse audiences.

From premium product to global entertainment phenomenon

For years, Formula 1 was perceived as a product deeply linked to luxury, technology, and a specialized audience. That profile began to change with the arrival of Liberty Media, which understood the championship not only as a sporting competition but also as a global entertainment platform. The expansion of the calendar, the strengthening of the audiovisual business, and the opening to new markets have multiplied the visibility of the competition, which in 2025 gathered 6.7 million spectators at circuits and reached a global community of 826 million followers across television and digital environments.

The evolution of the fan profile clearly reflects this transformation. According to the F1 Fan Survey, carried out together with Motorsport Network, the new fan base is marked by three main traits: youth, diversity, and a growing female presence. Women represent three out of every four new fans, while nearly half of Generation Z followers are women. This is also accompanied by the rise of digital consumption: 54% of F1 followers on TikTok and 40% on Instagram are under 25 years old, a trend that has redefined the way the championship connects with new generations.

Sponsorships, new markets and an expanding commercial machine

Audience growth has had a direct impact on the championship’s commercial business. Sponsorship revenue has nearly quadrupled over the past decade and already represents 21.7% of Formula 1’s total turnover, contributing more than $840 million in 2025. This expansion responds to a hybrid strategy that combines partnerships with luxury brands—such as the LVMH Group—with agreements aimed at broader audiences, including collaborations with entertainment and toy companies like Lego, Hot Wheels, or Hello Kitty, as well as more recent initiatives with Disney.

Commercial expansion has also found a key growth territory in the United States. Major companies such as American Express, Amazon Web Services, Salesforce, and Crypto.com have strengthened their presence within the championship, while events like the Las Vegas Grand Prix have become strategic platforms for brand activation. At the same time, the audiovisual business remains the main revenue driver of the championship, boosted by the success of the docuseries Drive to Survive on Netflix and by new production and distribution ventures with technology giants such as Apple. This network of content, sponsorships, and experiences has allowed Formula 1 to evolve from an elite championship into a cultural platform that connects sport, entertainment, and lifestyle throughout the year.