F1 GETS BACK TO BUSINESS IN MIAMI

Formula 1’s enforced five-week break didn’t change a thing at the business end of the grid, as young Kimi Antonelli continued to turn heads and break records with another pole-to-win triumph – his third in as many races. Only two drivers have previously taken their first three Grand Prix wins in consecutive events, Damon Hill and Mika Häkkinen. Both went onto become World Champions.

As the on-track competition resumed in Miami, so too did the business battles; the opening US round of the season reaffirmed its status as the sport’s commercial capital. Activation was rife around the paddock, and city-wide, with beach pop-ups, partnership announcements, content creators, and product launches vying for attention.

Visa Cash App Racing Bulls were in the limelight – quite literally – with a summer-tinged livery to produce the Red Bull Summer Edition Sudachi Lime, transforming the VCARB cars into vibrant billboards for the weekend. The rebrand potential to Lime Lawson was there for the taking. 

Mercedes, too, opted for a Nu look with a purple livery that promoted the team’s partnership with the digital financial services platform. In fact, three different suits across the weekend that chart the company’s expansion. The ‘Nu Direction’ was coupled with a brand film, a curated activation, and social content, but the real exposure came through the team’s purple sector times on Sunday.

Business is the buzzword in Miami. The debut of the Autosport Business Exchange at Hard Rock Stadium brought together Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, Apple SVP Eddy Cue, General Motors Chair Mary Barra and Miami GP Managing Partner Tom Garfinkel.

The event – and similar showcases by brands in and around Miami - proved once again that F1 has evolved far beyond the racetrack. It's where the world's leading global brands are having their most important commercial conversations. The businesses who moving with intention now will be the ones who define what F1 looks like for the next decade. 

If you're thinking about how your brand or organisation can find its place in this space, we'd love to talk about how Performance Insights can put F1 at the heart of your business.