Motorsports Racing News & Blog Articles

Age	77
Net worth	$27,9bn
Source of wealth	Red Bull
Nationality	Austrian
F1 involvement	Circuit owner, Team shareholder

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Dietrich Mateschitz is the co-founder of the Red Bull energy drinks empire. He famously started the company after watching rickshaw riders in Thailand drinking a syrup-based drink to maintain their energy levels.

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Mateschitz, a marketing man, launched the drink in 250ml slim cans at a price five times that of Coca-Cola.

Fast forward to today, and Red Bull is a global brand with impressive turnover and profitability – 7.5 billion cans sold in 2019, almost one for each person on the planet.

The drink generates $6bn in revenue – a third of which is reinvested into marketing, including F1.

Age	70
Net worth	$20,2bn
Source of wealth	Red Bull
Nationality	Thai
F1 involvement	Team shareholder, Circuit owner

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Chalerm Yoovidhya is the son of the late Red Bull co-founder Chaleo Yoovidhya who passed away in 2012.

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There are 30+ members of the Yoovidhya family that own through off-shore companies in the British Virgin islands 51% of Red Bull.

Chalerm, alongside his brother Saravoot, are the dominant force, with Chalerm owning 2% of Red Bull outright.

Age	68
Net Worth	$17,3bn
Source of wealth	INEOS
Nationality	British
F1 involvement	Team shareholder

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Ratcliffe founded the company in 1998 and oversaw a rapid expansion by buying up unwanted assets from the likes of BP and ICI using high-risk debt to fund the company’s growth.

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Today the company has 26,000 employees, sales of $69bn, and 60 manufacturing sites in 13 countries.

The company is active in fracking and shale gas production in the UK, with Ratcliffe arguing, “You can’t have an energy policy that means you can only have a bath when the wind blows.”

He divides his time between Monaco and Hampshire, with the 2020 move to Monaco saving him an estimated £4bn in tax.

Age	65
Net worth	$14,4bn
Source of wealth	Tetra Pak
Nationality	Swedish
F1 involvement	Team shareholder

Finn Rausing, along with his siblings Kirsten and Jörn, is heir to the ‘Tetra Pak’ packaging empire. The company was founded by his Grandfather Ruben, who became Europe’s first self-made billionaire.

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Although always credited as the inventor of the Tetra Pak, the design was created by Swedish engineer Erik Wallenberg. In the smartest move of his life, Rubens paid Wallenberg six months’ salary as a one-off payment for the design rights.

Tetra Pak, which replaced glass, is used in everything from juice to milk, with 200 million units sold every day.

Rausing became involved in Formula 1 when back in 2016. He was approached by fellow Swede Marcus Ericsson who drove for the Sauber F1 team that was in financial difficulties.

Age	80
Net worth	$7,9bn
Source of wealth	Liberty Media
Nationality	American
F1 involvement	Commercial rights shareholder

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John Malone is chairman and largest voting shareholder of Liberty Media, who own the commercial rights to Formula 1.

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He was the CEO of TCI Tele-Communications for 24 years (1973 – 1996). AT&T purchased TCI for $50bn in 1999.

Malone built his empire by purchasing multiple cable TV companies earning him the ‘Cable Cowboy’ nickname. US Vice President Al Gore famously compared him to ‘Darth Vader’.

His empire encompasses Sirius XM, Live Nation, the Atlanta Braves, and Virgin Media.

Age	81
Net worth	$7,5bn
Source of wealth	The Related Companies
Nationality	American
F1 involvement	Circuit promoter

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Stephen Ross is an American real estate tycoon who started in 1972 with $10,000 he borrowed from his mother.

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He is best known for the Time Warner Centre and the ‘playground for billionaires’ The Hudson Yards redevelopment project in New York.

He owns fitness brands Equinox and Soul cycle and the NFL franchise the Miami Dolphins, which he purchased for $1.1bn in 2008/2009, which has now a value of $2.9bn.

In April, after years of local opposition, it was announced Formula 1 had secured a deal to host a Grand Prix around the Hard Rock stadium owned by none other than Stephen Ross.

Age	53
Net worth	$4,5bn
Source of wealth	Uralchem
Nationality	Russian
F1 involvement	Team sponsor

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Mazepin is often described as a Russian oligarch born in Belarus who made his fortune in the Russian chemical and fertilizer industries through his ownership of Uralchem and potash fertilizer company Uralkali.

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These positions make him one of the most critical players in the Russian chemicals and fertilizer industries, which are among the most important sectors in Russia.

His net worth is hard to ascertain, with estimates ranging from $1.3 billion to $7.1 billion, but he has a sizeable bank account either way!

There have been numerous scandals and investigations over the years into Mazepin’s business dealings that question his tactics and corporate governance.

Thanks to a chance meeting with Max Mosley on an international flight to the South African GP in 1975, I became the circuit manager some five years later. Kyalami was, without doubt, one of the most popular tracks on the Formula 1 calendar, and I was looking forward to my first GP in the role. It was scheduled for February 7th 1981. Little did I know what was in store!

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The build-up to that Nashua sponsored South African Grand Prix was marred by F1 politics, a battle royale between Bernie Ecclestone (FOCA) and Jean-Marie Balestre (FISA). It came as a real blow when we were eventually advised that the FISA Teams, namely Ferrari, Renault, Alfa Romeo, Talbot Ligier, and Osella, were ordered by FISA not to fly to Kyalami.

Planning a Grand Prix is challenging at any time; this thunderbolt heralded a significant problem for us. However, following many threats and counter-threats, it was eventually decided that the race would go ahead, but with a grid of just 19 Ford Cosworth-powered cars. It seemed surreal that the famous red cars from Maranello would not be amongst those racing in front of a passionate South African crowd that year.

I’d organised a special event on the morning of the GP for the tens of thousands of spectators who’d arrived from all over South Africa in the days leading up to the race. In those days, spectators drove their cars, bakkies, trucks, caravans and motorhomes right up the track’s perimeter fencing, creating extraordinary viewing, sleeping and eating edifices out of scaffolding, timber and anything else to hand. Alcohol flowed freely from the time of arrival, that was for sure, and by the time GP morning arrived, the crowd was very eager for action.

Our guest today, Nigel Essam, runs a known event company, Red Eye Events, one of the biggest providers of secondary hospitality over the Monaco GP, hosting 1200 people, including royalty on trackside yachts over the weekend.

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Nigel started this company after attending Monaco as a guest and seeing there was the opportunity to do things better, so he chartered a boat the next year and grew it from there despite having no contacts at the start – so it’s quite an exciting story! But today, he’s here to talk to the Paddock magazine as the Commercial Director of Guestia, an exciting new venture. And we’re more than thrilled to have him answer a few honest questions.

Nigel, how would you briefly describe Guestia to a person who hasn’t heard of it yet?

Guestia is an event and travel app that transforms how organisers manage and communicate with guests by taking all event information online. It provides a tech solution for sponsors, sports teams, and agencies who want to give guests all their personalised event and travel information in one app, rather than emailing and printing off endless guest packs and itineraries. McLaren currently uses the app for their race team travel, which means any changes can be updated in real-time and communication can happen instantly, through notifications, alerts or messaging. All of this saves a lot of paper.

Valhalla concept evolved into a true driver-focused, production reality supercar. Intense performance combined with pinpoint dynamics for unprecedented driver involvement and driving experience. New 950PS Hybrid powertrain mates bespoke 750PS twin-turbo V8 ICE with twin E-Motors. All-new 8-speed Dual Clutch Transmission equipped with e-reverse and e-diff. Active aerodynamics produce 600kg of downforce for a sub-6:30 Nürburgring lap time target.

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Aston Martin’s transformational journey takes a huge step forwards with the Valhalla concept car brought to production reality as an extraordinary, truly driver-focused mid-engined hybrid supercar.

Led by Aston Martin’s CEO, Tobias Moers, Valhalla is the latest and most significant product of the brand’s Project Horizon strategy to date; a car that will broaden the model portfolio to reflect Aston Martin’s presence in Formula One®, set best-in-class standards for performance, dynamics and driving pleasure, and drive the transition from internal combustion to hybrid to fully electric powertrains.

Aston Martin’s Executive Chairman, Lawrence Stroll, said: “Aston Martin’s first series production mid-engined supercar, Valhalla is a truly transformational moment for this ultra-luxury brand. The launch of Valhalla demonstrates Aston Martin’s commitment to building a range of exceptional mid-engined driver-focused cars, a crucial next stage in the expansion of our product line-up. It also seemed fitting to unveil this stunning track biased supercar at the home of motorsport and the home of the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula OneTM Team and marks Aston Martin’s return to the British Grand Prix; for the first time in over 60 years, a true milestone.”

Best of British: Red Bull Racing Formula One team takes on Spitfire, bus and black cab ahead of Silverstone race.

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Max Verstappen heads into this weekend’s sold-out British Grand Prix looking to build on his F1 title lead and he warmed up for the race by featuring in a video that sees the RB7 car take on some of the most iconic British vehicles; including a Spitfire, night bus and London black cab. Here is all you need to know:

The Dutchman currently leads Lewis Hamilton by 32 points after nine rounds of the 2021 FIA Formula One World Championship with Red Bull Racing Honda holding a 44-point constructors’ lead over rivals Mercedes.

With the paddock gearing up for a new Sprint Race format around Silverstone, the video sees the Red Bull Racing RB7 pitted against some of the most recognisable British vehicles of the 21st Century in a never-seen-before battle.

This coming Sunday, before the start of the British Grand Prix, a historic race that has been on the calendar in every year of the world championship, Scuderia Ferrari will celebrate in a special way, the 70th anniversary of the first of its 238 Formula 1 wins. It happened on 14 July 1951 courtesy of the Argentinian driver Jose Froilan Gonzalez at the wheel of a 375 F1.

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Charles as “El Cabezon”. One of these legendary cars has made the journey to England from the Officina Classiche in Maranello, where it has been completely restored over the past few months. Once again, therefore, the sound of the 375 F1 12 cylinder engine will ring out around Silverstone, courtesy of Charles Leclerc, winner of two Formula 1 races with the Scuderia, just like “El Cabezon,” as Gonzalez was known in racing circles.

Evolution meets tradition. A lot has changed since 1951, especially the cars, but luckily so too has the level of safety, exemplified by the Silverstone circuit, now with more corners than 70 years ago. After all, Formula 1 is a sport in a state of constant evolution, in which technological research is pushed to the limit and attention to detail is everything. However, it is also true that, at the heart of this sport, there are values, traditions and partnerships that endure over time. Back in 1951, the Scuderia used Shell lubricants, Pirelli tyres and SKF bearings, just as it does today.

Special logo. To celebrate 70 years since Ferrari’s first Formula 1 win, the SF21s driven by Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz will feature a special logo on the halo for this weekend. The car covers will be off this weekend! In addition, in honour of Italy winning the Euro2020 football tournament last Sunday, 53 years on from its previous success in 1968, the SF21s will also carry the hashtag #grazieAzzurri.

The French GP returns to the F1 calendar after its cancellation last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, with Circuit Paul Ricard hosting the seventh round of the 2021 season. But as bookmakers, this is the right time to. You can visit https://smartbettingguide.com/ for more chances and insights on the latest F1 betting.

Only four points separate Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton at the top of the drivers’ standings after both drivers failed to score in Azerbaijan. The points allowed Sergio Perez to claim his first win for Red Bull ahead of Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel and AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly.

Paul Ricard has been a great circuit for Mercedes over the years as it looks set to retaliate after two disappointing races in Monaco and Baku. Ferrari is expected to struggle despite successive pole positions. At the same time, Alpine hopes for a strong result at home, especially as Esteban Ocon has just signed a new three-year contract extension.

Sums up the highlights from Friday’s French GP F1 practice at Circuit Paul Ricard, where Mercedes and Red Bull alternately led the session.

Absent from the 2020 Formula 1 calendar, the French F1 Grand Prix is ​​back this weekend at the less famous Paul Ricard Circuit for most fans.

This year, Red Bull threatens to end Mercedes’ domination like never before. The Austrian team won the last five races on the calendar while Mercedes found out the real first moment of crisis. Let’s find out the reasons for this unsuccessful period.

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In Formula 1, all teams aspire to win and lay the foundations of domination that could last for many years. It was like this for McLaren, for Ferrari, for Williams and Red Bull. But since the 2014th season, Mercedes has started its time, with the Stuttgart-based manufacturer able to win seven drivers’ championships and World Constructors’ Championship as well in a row. Since the end of last year, some imperceptible crunches have begun. But never as in this season, the Mercedes’ era is likely to end up under the blows of the Red Bull team now on par or maybe more potent than the Silver Arrows. The last two races in Austria are the clearest example of the German team crisis.

Verstappen and Red Bull won both races in Zeltweg without any problems making their leadership stronger in drivers’ standing. In comparison, Lewis and Valtteri complained about the lack of race pace and poor handling of their cars. The reason why Mercedes is showing this lack of speed reflects throughout Toto Wolff’s words: “It is a very, very tricky decision because we have new regulations not only for next year but for the years to come, a completely different car concept. And you’ve got to choose the right balance, and pretty much everybody’s going to be on next year’s car.”

Introduction

 

For the second time in as many weeks, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen enjoyed a serene drive to victory at the Red Bull Ring, leading every lap of the 2021 Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix from pole position – much to the delight of the thousands of orange-clad fans who flocked to cheer him to a third victory in a row.

In contrast to the Styrian Grand Prix, Verstappen faced no real threat from behind, even having enough time to take an extra pit stop with 10 laps to go to ensure an extra point for fastest lap – and a first ever ‘grand slam weekend’, with pole, fastest lap and victory, having led every lap.

Behind him, championship rival Lewis Hamilton worked his way up to the second place from P4 on the grid before aerodynamic damage, picked up by running over exit kerbs, slowed his progress, allowing both Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas and McLaren’s Lando Norris to get past.

Despite heavy pressure from Norris, who was awarded Driver Of The Day honours, Bottas held on for P2, with the McLaren driver taking a third podium finish of the season in P3. Hamilton held on for fourth but slipped from 18 to 32 points behind Verstappen in the championship standings.