Formula 1 is attracting a new wave of B2B investment as brands look to position themselves on a global stage defined by innovation, precision and culture cachet. In 2025, sponsorship across the F1 ecosystem is expected to exceed $2.9 billion, with cloud platforms, fintech firms, and consultancies eager to tap into the sport’s growing influence and high-performance narrative.
But as more brands activate their sponsorships, a familiar pattern is emerging and many experiences are starting to look and feel the same.
At recent industry tradeshows and conferences in Paris, New York and Las Vegas, we observed leading tech and enterprise brands activating their F1 sponsorships with attention-grabbing elements like car displays, trophy cases and racing simulators. While these experiences successfully drew crowds, they also raised important questions: Were they engaging the right audience? And did they tell a unique, clear and connected story about the brand?
Image Credit: Glenfiddich Formula 1
As the F1 sponsorship space grows more crowded, now is the moment to evolve activations beyond visual impact and build richer, more resonant narratives.
To break through, B2B brands need to approach F1 through a B2H lens. Momentum Worldwide’s global B2B study reveals attendees show a clear preference for having a choice of smaller, more personalized entertainment experiences that promote real-time collaboration and solving. In fact, 59% said they would spend more time at an event if they knew this would be an outcome of the experience. This shift in expectations highlights the need to move past traditional approaches like team associations and logo placements. Instead, brands should focus on crafting emotionally resonant stories that are integrated across every touchpoint, whether trackside, digital, or at tradeshows and events.
Here are three ways to bring your F1 assets to life through impactful experiential storytelling.
- Reframe the IP as strategic tools. Assets like branding on cars, suits, tracks or telemetry are all valuable sponsorship assets. But rather than treat them as passive elements, embed them in experiential story arcs that mirror the challenges your customers face.
- Anchor your activation in the customer journey. F1 is a story told in stages: qualifying, pit stops, strategy, team roles. So is enterprise growth. Use this as a framework for how you design content, storytelling and experiences that mirror how your solution helps them win through these stages.
- Extend beyond race weekend into thought leadership. Use your sponsorship to fuel an ongoing narrative about your business. Evolve the story through content, conversations and strategic moments that stretch beyond race day and build a sustained platform for client engagement.
In today’s expanding F1 sponsorship landscape, visibility alone will no longer cut through. It has to be about versatility, value and human impact. The brands that stand out won’t be the ones with the biggest trackside logos or the most AR simulators. They’ll be the ones who know how to take the assets they already have and turn them into the right strategic brand story.