Monthly Archives: February 2024

Most valuable Formula 1 teams as Lewis Hamilton makes switch and sport gets astonishing Drive to Survive boom

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To say Formula 1 is booming would be one hell of an understatement.

Even off the back of the most uncompetitive season in the sport’s history, the ten teams on the grid are worth an average of £1.49billion, according to the latest calculations.


Verstappen is dominating F1, but cash is still flowing in to the other nine teams too

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There’s little sign that profits will relent either, with F1’s decision to implement a cost cap in 2021, stopping unrelenting spending among the big teams and moving towards profitability to keep a healthy 20-car paddock.

So beneficial has the move been for the current teams that Red Bull recently turned down an astonishing $1billion [£790million] offer for B-team Alpha Tauri (now Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team).

Meanwhile, in 2021, Andretti Autosport were ready to pay £276m for a majority stake in Sauber, but just two years later in 2023, Audi ended up paying £514m for a minority purchase.

Outside of the cost cap, Netflix’s impact has been staggering, with Drive to Survive becoming the crown jewel of sports documentaries, drumming up interest worldwide even when the on-track entertainment isn’t at its best.

The impact in the US has seen two more American Grand Prix added to the calendar in Miami and Las Vegas, while the original in Texas has broken attendance records for the sport.

All in all, since Forbes last calculated F1 teams’ average worth in 2018, the figure had increased by a gargantuan 276 per cent, shooting up to £1.49bn from £395m in a five-year span.

What’s really interesting, though, is how that money is divided up, and which team of the ten financial behemoths has the highest value of all…

10. Williams – £537m

The second-most successful constructor in F1 history, Williams bookend the list despite their nine constructors’ titles and seven drivers’ championships.

Team principal James Vowles has been one of the most vocal voices in the paddock against the addition of an 11th team, admitting that the Grove-based team’s financial position is still precarious.

Dorilton Capital purchased the team in 2020 for £98m, and even with the caveat of having to settle a considerable amount of debt the investment firm made one of their shrewdest-ever purchases considering today’s worth.


Williams were on shaky ground before Dorilton’s investment helped one of the sport’s most legendary brands

AFP

9. Haas – £617m

It looked like Haas might be in some trouble in March 2022 when the team dropped Nikita Mazepin and his father’s company and team lead sponsor Uralkali due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

In the past the loss of a lead sponsor would almost certainly be the death of a team, however, Haas survived and are still going strong, showing how stable F1 is across the paddock.


Haas had to remove the Russian flag from their car after breaking ties with Dimitri Mazepin, but the team has survived just fine

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8. Kick Sauber – £711m

Currently in a holding pattern with Stake and Kick sponsoring the team for 2024 and 2025, Sauber will welcome an automotive behemoth in 2026.

The Swiss team have been on the grid since 1993, but have been under a number of different guises, most recently Alfa Romeo for the past six seasons.

The Italian brand has stepped aside for Stake and Kick, but in 2026 Audi will take over, bringing a gargantuan brand to the sport as a new engine provider, and undoubtedly increasing income even more.


Formerly BMW and Alfa Romeo, Sauber are taking on a striking look before Audi arrive in 2026

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7. RB VCARB – £890m

Despite plenty of ridicule over their new name, ‘Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team’ the Red Bull B-team are still raking in the money as the seventh most valuable team on the grid.

Their valuation is above a £790m purchase offer they reportedly rejected, justifying the decision and setting the bar high for any other team thinking of making a bid.

Introduced to the grid as ‘Toro Rosso’ in 2006, the team have raced under Red Bull’s ‘Alpha Tauri’ fashion brand for the past four seasons, and now their latest move suggests the team is less of a driver development outfit.

Just last season they replaced 28-year-old Nyck de Vries with 34-year-old Daniel Ricciardo, and if money is now the priority over development, they’re certainly making it work.


Red Bull’s B-team produced seven titles with Vettel and Verstappen, but now they’re on a marketting drive

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6. Aston Martin – £1.09bn

F1 unknowingly hit the jackpot in 2017 when Lance Stroll hit the grid with Williams.

With him came his father and one of Canada’s richest men, Lawrence, who went on to buy Force India a year later, and in 2020 he purchased a stake in Aston Martin.

A year later he combined the two to bring back the legendary marque to F1, and with profits soaring in F1, it will be interesting to see if the same happens in a competitive and faltering car market.


The Strolls’ entering F1 has been extremely lucrative for both parties

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5. Alpine – £1.11bn

Perhaps the stand out example of how much money there is in F1, Renault are so rich they don’t even need to advertise their mainstream cars, swapping their F1 team’s name to their relatively limited sports car brand, Alpine, in 2021.

And, as another show of how much everyone wants to get involved, the team have since brought in huge names like Ryan Reynolds, Michael B. Jordan, Rory McIlroy and Patrick Mahomes as investors, while Zinedine Zidane has joined as an ambassador.


Alpine have used their cache to lure sporting greats to invest

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4. McLaren – £1.74bn

Second to only Ferrari when it comes to drivers’ championships, McLaren are also the second-oldest team in F1, and it shows in the accounts.

A storied team with exceptional branding and incredibly marketable drivers, McLaren spent 2015 to 2017 in utter disarray thanks to their disastrous decision to switch to Honda power.

Twice finishing ninth in the constructors championship, the team in papaya are now back on the podium, and with history and numerous investors on their side, it might not be long before wins return too.


McLaren are back honouring their incredible history once again

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3. Red Bull – £2.06bn

It’s amazing what you can do by putting some sugar in water, and Red Bull’s F1 project has been arguably the greatest advertising success in the history of sport.

Red Bull were very much F1’s version of ‘noisy neighbours’ when they arrived on the grid in 2005, but their hiring of the sport’s true GOAT took them stratospheric.

Forget Michael Schmacher, Lewis Hamilton and Ayrton Senna, designer Adrian Newey is undoubtedly the most important man in the history of F1 when it comes to success, and after setting the team up for four drivers’ titles from 2010 to 2013, he’s added another straight three by giving Max Verstappen a masterpiece to drive.

Now joint fourth in all-time drivers titles, Red Bull’s legacy shows no signs of slowing down, and neither does their incredible marketing campaign that’s blown through the sport.


Red bull have gone from an energy drink to a sporting powerhouse in two decades

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2. Mercedes – £3.01bn

Champions back in the 1950s, Mercedes took 45 years to return to F1, but wasted little time getting back to winning ways.

Masterminded by team principal and CEO Toto Wolff, who is a billionaire in his own right, the Silver Arrows returned to the grid in 2010, and just four years later smashed the competition to pieces.

Now one of the most recognisable brands in sport, Mercedes converted their success into money, with the only knock on their progress being star driver Lewis Hamilton switching to Ferrari in 2025.


Wolff and Hamilton have combined for unparalleled success at Mercedes

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1. Ferrari – £3.09bn


Hamilton can’t wait to wear red in 2025, and Ferrari’s appeal knows no limits

AFP

By far the most recognisable brand in both F1 and motorsport, Ferrari have been on the grid since the world championship first began in 1950.

Every person wants to drive one of their super cars, and every professional driver wants to race for their F1 team, and that’s reflected by Lewis Hamilton ending his record-breaking partnership with Mercedes to suit up in red in 2025.

The deal unites F1’s most successful team and driver, and although they haven’t had a title since 2007, the hype if they pick one up with the Brit will transcend sport, and further boost their image as one of the most recognisable brands in the world.

All figures from forbes.com


Source: TalkSport.com Motorsport

talkSPORT betting tips – Best F1 bets and expert advice for the Bahrain Grand Prix

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The first grand prix of the mammoth 24-race 2024 F1 season takes place in Bahrain on Saturday with motorsport fans across the world keen to see if triple world champion Max Verstappen will face more of a challenge this year.

The flying Dutchman won an incredible 19 of last season’s 22 races and is hot favourite to win again this year but Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren in particular are hoping to put up more of a fight against the dominant Red Bull team this time.

Bahrain Grand Prix tips

  • Charles Leclerc to win race (each-way) – 9/1
  • Lance Stroll points finish – 4/6
  • Under 17.5 classified finishers – 11/8

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Charles Leclerc to win race (each-way) – 9/1

It’s no surprise that Max Verstappen is the red-hot 1/3 favourite to win the first race of the season after sweeping all before him in 2023. However, he has won in Bahrain only once in his three world championship seasons and it may be worth taking a chance that his rivals can get off to a fast start.

Ferrari appear to have the most potential after showing up well on the timesheets in the pre-season test in Sakhir last week and the way they maintained their pace over long runs was particularly impressive and bodes well for a strong effort in the race.

The Italian team won this event in 2022 through Charles Leclerc and the man from Monaco again looks the best bet to challenge Verstappen in the race.

Leclerc is the 9/1 second favourite and backing him each-way at that price will provide a profit if he wins or comes home second. Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez has been fifth, 18th and second in his three seasons with Red Bull and the Ferraris should be capable of mixing it with the Mexican driver even if reeling in the champion proves beyond them.

Mercedes and McLaren should also be in the hunt this season but Lewis Hamilton’s team are coming off a tough couple of years and while McLaren made great progress last season, other circuits should suit their car better than this track.

Lance Stroll points finish – 4/6

Aston Martin had a great start to the 2023 season as Fernando Alonso stepped onto the podium in Bahrain in his first race for the team. His team-mate, Lance Stroll, also managed a top-six finish in a brave effort after breaking both of his wrists and a toe in a pre-season cycling accident. The lingering effects of the injuries affected the Canadian for much of the season but he finished strongly with two fifth-place finishes in the final three races and should be seen to better effect this year.

The Aston Martin team as a whole may have lost a place or two in the F1 pecking order this season with McLaren and Mercedes raising their game after slow starts in 2023, but the green machines should still be challenging for points at every race and Stroll has a solid chance of opening his account for the season in Bahrain with a top-10 finish.

Under 17.5 classified finishers – 11/8

Modern F1 cars are unbelievably well engineered and far stronger than those of past decades but there will always be teething problems with brand new cars and several teams were affected by technical issues that cost them time during the test in Bahrain last week.

Three drivers were not classified in the opening race last season – cars must complete 90% of the race distance required to be classified even if they are not running when the chequered flag is waved.

Odds-against prices for 17 or fewer drivers to be classified appeal after Esteban Ocon, Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri all failed to see out the race distance last year.

In 2022 there were 19 official finishers although both Red Bulls also retired late in the race, but in 2020 only 11 drivers completed the course in the first race of the year in Austria (13 classified finishers).

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Source: TalkSport.com Motorsport