On this week's podcast episode, Lali and I spoke to Formula E Director of Americas, Lee Zohlman.
Zohlman shares how Formula E’s partnership model differs from the traditional motorsports sponsorship playbook. His background managing professional athletes and scaling a coaching business to the top five nationally means he thinks about brand activation differently than someone who came up through the racing industry. That perspective matters when you’re trying to sell a product that didn’t exist until relatively recently.
Zohlman spent years in extreme sports broadcasting before pivoting into marketing, and you can hear how that shapes his approach to positioning Formula E against more established series.
Worth noting: he’s transparent about what drives most of his deal flow. Not always glamorous, but instructive for anyone trying to build business relationships in motorsports without paddock credentials.
Watch the full episode below.
Insane Story of the Week 🤯
This thread on X/Twitter is wild. These hackers exploited the FIA’s driver credentialing system in 10 minutes, prompting the FIA to quickly fix the security hole. It’s worth the read.
Link to the full article here, if you don’t want to use X.
Lewis Hamilton Tops SportsPro Most Marketable Athletes List
Lewis Hamilton topped the SportsPro Most Marketable list of athletes for the second time ever—one of only four athletes to ever do it.
Trucks driver, Toni Breidinger, came in at #67, ahead of Kimi Antonelli, Max Verstappen, and Liam Lawson.The closest motorsport person to Hamilton is teammate Charles Leclerc at #25, with the McLaren duo of Norris and Piastri at #41 and #64, respectively.
$30.5 Billion Defense Company Partners with Hendrick Motorsports
Anduril Industries — the $30B defense unicorn building autonomous weapons — just executed a three-layer NASCAR play: series partner, event owner, team sponsor. Anduril will be sponsoring Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 24 Chevrolet with two primary paint schemes at San Diego and Chicagoland.
Christian Horner’s £1.5B Comeback Plot
Christian Horner isn’t done with F1. The ex-Red Bull boss has attracted investors willing to drop £1.5 billion on either buying a midfield team or launching a 12th entry. His April 2026 return window opens just as the sport’s expansion fever peaks.
Horner wants full ownership, not just team principal duties. After his messy Red Bull exit and $100M settlement, he’s coming back with serious control and serious money.
The FIA won’t block it. Domenicali’s open to it. And F1’s about to get very interesting again.
McDonald’s and Red Bull Strike Limited Partnership for Brazilian Grand Prix
McDonald’s and Red Bull Racing will be partnering up at the Brazilian Grand Prix, with branding set to appear on the team’s halos and garages. McDonald’s partnered with the F1 Movie in Latin America, specifically Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil.
