Formula 1’s commercial growth in recent seasons has been closely tied to its expansion in the United States, with new races, media deals and a wave of incoming partners reshaping the sport’s global footprint.
According to Sector’s partnership database The Grid, which tracks commercial relationships across all 11 teams and F1 itself, US companies now account for 146 of the sport’s 373 current partnerships, representing 39% of the total.
Europe remains marginally ahead with 162 deals, or 43%, while the remaining 17% is spread across markets including the Middle East, Asia and Australia.
The rise of US partnerships has been driven by a sustained increase over recent seasons, aligned with the sport’s broader growth in the market and the addition of races in Miami and Las Vegas alongside the United States Grand Prix in Austin.
Between 2023 and 2025, US-origin deals increased steadily, rising from 22 to 35 partnerships a year as brands spanning technology, finance and consumer platforms – including Oracle, American Express, Salesforce and Cash App – expanded their presence within the sport.
That trajectory raised a clear question heading into 2026 and the next era of F1: could that growth continue at the same rate?
There have already been 27 US deals recorded in 2026, leaving the total just seven short of last year’s peak.
The season is still in its early stages, with only three races completed, and the parts of the calendar most closely associated with US commercial activity are still to come.
The Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix is up next on May 3, while Austin and Las Vegas have also become key moments for partnership announcements and activations, particularly for US-based brands looking to align with the sport on home soil.
That creates a different dynamic compared to other markets, where deals may be spread more evenly across the season.
In the US, commercial activity is often clustered around these marquee events, suggesting that 2026 is on target to surpass last year’s record.
Also, the arrival of the Cadillac Formula 1 Team as a second American entrant introduces new commercial inventory and additional entry points for US brands, potentially supporting further growth as the season develops.
The broader partnership landscape remains competitive as European brands continue to anchor the sport commercially, with long-standing relationships and technical partnerships across teams and the championship itself.
Companies such as Santander, DHL, Shell and Heineken remain deeply embedded within F1, reflecting both historical ties and continued relevance in a global commercial model.
That balance underlines how close the two markets have become. While the US has driven much of the recent growth, Europe’s established base continues to provide stability across the sport’s commercial ecosystem.
The question for 2026 is not whether US brands will continue to play a central role in F1, but whether the rate of expansion seen in recent years can be sustained.
With key races still to come and new commercial opportunities emerging, the current figures point less to a slowdown and more to a season where the growth continues to accelerate.
