“We were losing £100million when I started,” McLaren CEO Zak Brown discusses F1’s popularity boom and current upward trajectory
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Zak Brown
Formula 1 has a more global outlook than any time before in its past. With Liberty Media’s acquisition, the sport has been aiming to expand in markets outside of Europe – especially the USA, where F1 has experienced a boom in popularity. But even before Liberty entered the fray, F1 had been expanding to the Middle East and Asia (apart from Japan). McLaren CEO, Zak Brown, even thinks the sport is more popular today than ever before.
The often maligned ‘Drive to Survive‘ has played an important role in introducing and popularizing the sport outside of Europe, and among younger viewers. While that has helped along the popularity boom, Brown also believes that F1 is a healthier sport than ever before. There are now more rules in place to increase competition across the field, and they should come into their own in the next few years.
As per GPFans, Brown said of Formula 1’s current trajectory: “I have never seen F1 more popular than it is today. I have never seen teams healthier than they are, [and] I have never seen the amount of corporate partners in the sport. TV ratings up, record number for races, record number of attendees, digitals through the roof. It is awesome.”
Brown cited the F1 cost cap, which he believes will make the sport even more exciting: “The cost cap, over time, we will see a levelling of the playing field so we will go from one or two dominant teams to hopefully five or six that can win races, three or four fighting for the championship. That will make the sport even more exciting, which will draw in more fans.”
Zak Brown: Las Vegas GP another ‘shot in the arm’ for F1 popularity in North America
Next year, there will be three F1 races on the calendar in the US – Miami, COTA in Austin, and Las Vegas, in addition to two other races held in North America (Mexico and Canada). This just reflects how important the USA has become for the sport – where the sport grows more popular every day. This large amount of races is just a consequence of its popularity and the commercial opportunities offered in the country.
Brown believes that the Las Vegas GP, making its debut next year, will be another ‘shot in arm’ for F1, and its popularity in North America: “The sport has taken off in North America. We haven’t even been to Las Vegas, yet that is going to be another shot in the arm. They have just announced a very substantial television agreement with ESPN, and ABC will be the broadcast coverage and that is just in America.”
Brown explained how much Formula 1 has improved financially with an example: “We have got new races in the Middle East, so the sport is unbelievably healthy and now, with the cost cap, all these teams can afford to be in F1. We were losing £100million when I started, which is a documented number. Now, we are cashflow positive which will turn into profit.”
Formula 1 is indeed in a very strong position for the future, and with the cost cap, the oncoming new regulations of 2026, as well as the aerodynamic restrictions, the racing and the field spread should improve. That will bring even more fans to the sport.
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Aniket Tripathi
(1002 Articles Published)