Analysis
Formula 1 sponsorship revenue surges to $2.54 Billion in 2025, closing gap on NFL
Formula 1 teams' sponsorship revenue surged by 22.1% to $2.54 billion in 2025, closing the gap to the NFL, driven by tech sector growth and driver endorsements.
F1 closes the gap on the NFL in global sponsorship race
Formula 1’s commercial juggernaut shows no signs of slowing down. According to a new report by global sports and entertainment sponsorship intelligence platform SponsorUnited, F1 teams’ total sponsorship revenue surged by 22.1% to $2.54 billion in 2025.
This massive financial leap has allowed Formula 1 to significantly close the gap to the global leader, the NFL. The deficit between the two sporting giants has shrunk from $360 million to just $120 million compared to the previous year. SponsorUnited, which compiles its annual report based on proprietary data estimating the total annual price of sponsorship agreements, now places F1 as the second-most lucrative sports league in the world. The NFL leads the way at $2.66 billion, while the English Premier League sits in third place at $2.02 billion.
The $2.54 billion total represents a staggering $460 million increase compared to 2024. The sport saw a total of 382 deals across 358 unique brands in 2025, up from 345 deals across 325 brands the previous year.
The 'big four' dominate the financial grid
Unsurprisingly, the teams fighting at the front of the grid are also leading the charge in the boardroom. Mercedes tops the financial standings with an estimated total sponsorship revenue of $558 million. They are closely followed by the rest of F1’s ‘big four’—Ferrari, Red Bull, and McLaren—who continue to dominate the sport's commercial landscape. At the other end of the spectrum, Haas ranks last among the 10 teams competing in the 2025 championship.
Tech and AI fuel the commercial boom
The technology sector remains the undisputed king of F1 sponsorship, contributing a massive $769 million—a year-on-year rise of 40.8%. Industry heavyweights like Oracle, CrowdStrike, and TeamViewer all feature in F1’s top 10 team contributors. Crucially, the report highlights that artificial intelligence (AI) companies have emerged as a key driver of this explosive growth.
The financial sector ranks second at $456 million, followed by apparel and accessories at $219 million. Interestingly, the hotel, restaurant, and leisure category proved to be the fastest-growing sector. Despite ranking 10th overall at $55 million, it experienced a remarkable 62.4% increase, adding $21 million to its total.
Drivers emerge as independent media platforms
Beyond team deals, the SponsorUnited report underscores a major shift in the sport's commercial dynamics: drivers are becoming commercial powerhouses in their own right. The report notes that "drivers now rival teams as media platforms" and "are unlocking categories teams can’t reach on their own."
Charles Leclerc experienced the largest growth in social media following between March 2025 and March 2026, adding 6.3 million followers to reach a total of 32.8 million—a 23.9% rise. Lewis Hamilton ranked second in terms of followers gained with 5 million, but the seven-time world champion maintains the highest total reach on the grid at a staggering 60 million. Meanwhile, Oscar Piastri boasted the highest growth rate among the top 10 drivers, surging by 65.9% to take his total following to 9.3 million.
When it comes to personal endorsements, Sergio Perez topped the rankings with an impressive 31 deals, despite spending the 2025 season on the sidelines. Lando Norris ranked second with 18 endorsements, while Franco Colapinto secured third place with 17 deals, proving his immense marketability.