Since its debut nearly 75 years ago, Formula 1 has championed unrivaled speed, cutting-edge technology, and relentless innovation. And as the pulse-pounding sport continues to evolve while its audience grows, so does its complex sponsorship universe. 

Formula 1's ambitious sustainability agenda—namely, its commitment to achieving a net zero carbon footprint by 2030—has been one of the sport’s most notable undertakings in recent years. While its first Impact Report (published in April) revealed that F1 reduced its carbon footprint by 13% between 2018 and 2022, further action is needed to meet its goal, including a burgeoning focus on the logistics sector, which accounts for almost half of F1’s carbon footprint. 

Several sponsors, including Germany’s DHL Group, have aligned themselves with F1’s sustainability mission. The logistics titan renewed its partnership with F1 in February, extending its role as the sports Official Logistics Partner and marking its 20th anniversary as F1’s longest-standing Global Partner. DHL’s key sustainability-focused initiatives include doubling its biofuel-powered truck fleet this year—which reduces logistics-related carbon emissions by an average of 83% per truck compared to diesel-driven vehicles—and introducing more fuel-efficient aircraft. 

Meanwhile, Salesforce, the world’s #1 transport and logistics CRM platform and an F1 Global Partner since 2022, joined forces with F1 to enhance fan engagement while offering actionable insights to help accelerate the sport’s journey to carbon neutrality. And Spanish banking giant Santander, a Scuderia Ferrari partner, launched the Santander X Global Challenge in 2022, a competition designed to promote sustainable business solutions. 

As America’s fervor for Formula 1 continues to surge—the Miami Grand Prix 2024 attracted the largest US television audience on record with 3.1M viewers—so does interest from US brands racing to get in on the action. American companies now comprise 25% of all F1 sponsors, with powerhouse brands like American Express, Paramount+, and Salesforce signing on since 2022. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has emerged as a key player in the Middle East, overtaking UAE brands with three major sponsors: Aramco, STC, and Qiddiya.

Against this backdrop, F1 has seen a consolidation trend in its sponsorship landscape, with a 30% decline in sponsors over the past two years, coupled with a halving of single-asset deals this year versus 2023. While fewer brands are investing in F1, remaining sponsors are doubling down on their commitment. There has been a 20% increase in the number of assets per partnership—resulting in a more concentrated group of high-impact, deep-pocketed sponsors.

On the category front, technology continues to lead F1 sponsors by number of deals, while growing its share of total sponsorships in the sport from 14.5% to 17.5% since 2022. That means approximately every sixth F1 asset has been sponsored by a tech brand this year. Companies like Oracle, AWS, and Salesforce see F1 as a peerless platform to showcase pioneering innovations that align with the sport's organically tech-driven environment. 

The tourism category—led by brands like Las Vegas Tourism, Bonjour Québec, and Yas Island—has surged thanks to travel’s massive post-pandemic rebound, with a 75% increase in the number of sponsored assets over the last two years. The cruise lines and travel tours subcategory, which counts Explora Journeys and MSC Cruises among its F1 partners, has seen a 14% rise in sponsored assets. 

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