Fast, furious, and dripping in opulence — Formula 1 is no longer just a motorsport; it’s the world’s most glamorous power circuit. As billionaires race to stake their claim, F1 has become the ultimate symbol of status, storytelling, and strategic investment. Former F4 racer and CEO, cars.co.in, Kunal Maini, tells us more.
When Kush Maini blazed across the finish line to win the F2 Sprint Race at the Monaco Grand Prix 2025, the cheers weren’t just for a young Indian star on the rise, but it echoed a larger cultural shift. Formula racing, long the high-octane cousin of mainstream sports, is transforming. Once reserved for die-hard petrolheads and European aristocracy, it has now fully evolved into the global playground of billionaires. It is an intersection of adrenaline, luxury, legacy and status.
Racing: The New Status Symbol
Formula 1 has always had the sheen of exclusivity. But today, it’s more than just speed and precision; it is now a marker of affluence and identity. For the global elite, F1 is the ultimate lifestyle accessory. From Monaco’s sun-drenched harbour to Singapore’s neon-lit skyline, F1 weekends are where power lunches meet paddock glamour. Think of it as Davos with downforce.
Billionaires are no longer content watching from the VIP box. They’re buying teams, sponsoring drivers and integrating themselves into the very fabric of the sport. Take Sir Jim Ratcliffe, one of the UK’s richest men, whose INEOS group owns a third of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team, valued at over $3.94 billion. Ratcliffe isn’t alone. Elon Musk has flirted publicly with the idea of getting into F1. Jeff Bezos and Amazon have already made a quiet entry into F1 content through broadcast deals with murmurs of deeper involvement.
Toto Wolff, Mercedes’ team principal, isn’t just a strategist. He’s also a high-stakes investor, holding an estimated 33% of the team. Meanwhile, Canadian fashion magnate Lawrence Stroll went from billionaire businessman to F1 team owner when he took over Aston Martin Racing, turning it into a brand alignment exercise with his luxury empire.
From Grid To Giga-Yachts
Attending a Grand Prix today is less about motorsport and more about making a statement. In Monaco, Russian oligarchs, tech titans from Silicon Valley, and Middle Eastern royals anchor their $200 million superyachts near the circuit, where the race is almost incidental to the parties aboard.
In Abu Dhabi, Paddock Club access – the ultrapremium hospitality suite that offers caviar bars, private trackside suites and chauffeured pit lane access – easily starts at $5,000 and can climb to $25,000 a weekend. Formula 1 is the only sport that offers fans the opportunity to arrive by helicopter, dine on Michelin-starred cuisine, and watch the drama unfold from air-conditioned terraces, while wearing Richard Mille watches and custom-tailored Zegna suits.
Celebrity Stakeholders & India’s Arrival
India is finally getting its seat at the table. In August 2024, actor and motorsport enthusiast John Abraham became a minority stakeholder in a Formula E team, JA Racing, under the Indian Racing Festival. With eyes on F1, his move signals the rise of motorsport as a viable lifestyle investment for India’s wealthy.
Globally, the list of celebrity investors in racing reads like a ‘Forbes’ rich list. Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney recently bought a stake in the Alpine F1 Team alongside Otro Capital. Meanwhile, Will Smith, Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Disha Patani and Yuvraj Singh have all been seen around the paddocks not just as fans, but as content creators and collaborators. Pitt, in fact, is currently producing and starring in a Formula 1 movie (‘F1’) cocreated with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. It’s not just business anymore. It’s branding, storytelling, lifestyle and everything aspirational.
Drivers As Style Icons
F1 drivers today aren’t just athletes. They’re luxury brand ambassadors and global influencers. Lewis Hamilton has modelled for Tommy Hilfiger, collaborated with Valentino and walked the Met Gala carpet. Charles Leclerc, often dubbed the “Monaco Prince,” is now a style muse for Giorgio Armani. These endorsement crossovers between performance and prestige make the sport more glamorous.
As Sohil Shah, a fellow racer and keen observer of motorsport’s lifestyle evolution, reveals, “The relationship between luxury brands and motorsport is deepening, driven by shared values of performance, exclusivity and innovation. Beyond traditional sponsorships, brands now use motorsport as a platform for experiential marketing, tech showcases and youth engagement — leveraging events like Formula 1 and Formula E to connect with affluent and digitally native audiences. Drivers are now key figures in the luxury narrative, serving as style icons, brand ambassadors and cultural influencers.”
