Autosport Business Exchange Makes U.S. Debut

The Autosport Business Exchange (ABX) made its highly anticipated U.S. debut yesterday at Classic Car Club Manhattan, bringing together senior leaders from motorsport, technology, media, and investment for an evening of high-impact discussion and networking.

With headline guests including Toto Wolff, CEO & Team Principal of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team, in an exclusive one-on-one conversation, ABX NYC showcased the power and potential of the global motorsport industry at a time of rapid growth and transformation.

“The United States is one of our most important markets and in that way it’s important for us to do well on track and advertise our road car products here,” said Wolff on stage at ABX. “We have a lot of buy-in from our road car customers into the racing program and the U.S. is heavily involved in activating. We love to be here. Last year, Austin was the single largest event in the U.S. with 440,000 people. Every Grand Prix is sold out and for us, that is a great benefit.”

On explaining why F1 has become so popular, Wolff added:

“COVID hit, people were at home and Drive to Survive dropped. Younger audiences connected with their parents and grandparents around Formula 1. And we’ve continued to grow, but we have to be wary, because fundamentally, we need to deliver credible sport. If that continues, the other KPIs will perform positively.”

The global motorsport leadership series also featured a high-profile discussion with Eddy Cue, SVP Services at Apple. As a long-term board member at Ferrari, Cue spoke candidly about Apple’s relationship with Formula 1 through F1: The Movie and on the wider topic of Apple’s history of streaming major sports, such as MLS and baseball.

“Having Lewis Hamilton involved in the F1 movie, I knew he was going to make it really epic as one of the challenges of trying to do something like this is to make it real,” said Cue. “I think in the U.S. everyone talks about how big Formula 1 is now, but the reality is it’s not huge yet — there are brands like Cadillac coming on board, so I think there’s huge potential for the sport in the U.S., especially.

“We’ve done a lot of innovative things in sports and F1 can do that because there’s so much data involved. From team radio broadcasts to following different teams and drivers. One of the things we love about motorsports is the amount of technology behind it and Formula 1 is the epitome of that.

“Max Verstappen is the one who wins the race, or Lando, or Oscar, but at the same time, there’s a level of technology that’s off the charts, and so that’s near and dear to our heart. It’s who we are and what we try to do. And I love that aspect of Formula 1.”

ABX New York also featured a dynamic panel designed to spotlight the forces reshaping motorsport — on and off the track. Discussing The Rise of Racing in America, industry leaders explored the sport’s accelerating U.S. expansion and why racing is becoming one of the most investable entertainment platforms in America.

“Formula 1 has this power to be able to reshape perceptions of brands and the sport is changing from a transactional model to one where you’re truly integrated,” said Dan Towriss, CEO of the Cadillac F1 Team, who spoke about how brands are looking to partner as the team makes its debut in F1 next year.

“Jim Beam and Tommy Hilfiger are American originals and we can tell our story through those brands. Cadillac is an iconic American original, so as we start to align these brands, that unlocks a new level of potential for the team to take partnerships to the next level.”

Conversation with NASCAR’s Tim Clark (Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer, NASCAR) centred on fandom and the cultural dimensions of the sport — specifically, the need to engage younger, more diverse audiences and how the role of social media and original documentaries help drive the narrative.

“You have got to tell stories that get people invested emotionally in the product they’re going to watch on track,” said Clark. “‘Helmet off’ content enables fans to connect emotionally. What these racers do on Saturdays and Sundays is extraordinary — they’re the best on the planet at what they do, and you want to know about their weekdays. This content is key to how we evolve our product.”

In a panel moderated by sports business commentator Joe Pompliano, the discussion also featured Dan Rossomondo, who heads up global partnerships at MotoGP, and Mark Miles, who oversees the INDYCAR series.

A second panel, Miami Momentum, specifically focused on the rise of the Miami Grand Prix as a case study in the intersection of racing, commerce and culture in the U.S. Featuring newly installed President Katharina Nowak and Keith Sheldon President of Entertainment and Brand Management at Hard Rock, they explored the growth in the business potential of Miami’s F1 deal through to 2041.

“The caliber of leaders joining us in New York reflects the growing influence of motorsport within the wider business and technology ecosystem,” said Werner Brell, CEO of Motorsport Network. “Hosting figures such as Toto Wolff and Eddy Cue demonstrates the power of ABX as a platform for meaningful dialogue at the highest level. As a global hub for commerce, media and investment, New York was the ideal location for an event that connects industry decision-makers and celebrates the Rise of Racing in America.”

The evening concluded with a networking reception overlooking the Hudson River, attended by senior motorsport industry figures, leading sponsors, and media partners plus executives from the world of finance and capital — reinforcing ABX’s reputation as the premier leadership forum for motorsport business. This was the first platform in the U.S. following high-impact editions in London and Monaco earlier this year.