Stefano Domenicali has outlined his vision for Formula 1’s continued growth ahead of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, discussing everything from booming race attendances and soaring team valuations to Ferrari, Kimi Antonelli and expansion into new markets. The Formula 1 President and CEO believes the championship can continue innovating without sacrificing the history and traditions that remain central to its identity.
The Monza weekend arrives with extraordinary interest and considerable historical significance. A young Italian, Kimi Antonelli, leads the Formula 1 World Championship, although he will have to serve a penalty connected to a power-unit change, while Ferrari heads into its home race among the contenders. The combination has added another layer of anticipation to an Italian Grand Prix weekend already attracting enormous attention, with Sunday at Monza sold out amid strong Ferrari demand.
Against that backdrop, Stefano Domenicali views a championship that continues to expand at remarkable speed. Formula 1 has been able to navigate geopolitical tensions while managing a calendar that remains in evolution, including the possibility of changes affecting some of the final races of the season. At the same time, the queue of countries interested in hosting a Grand Prix remains long and consistent.
Stefano Domenicali explains Formula 1’s growth strategy
Grand Prix weekends are no longer simply sporting competitions. They have increasingly developed into festivals capable of attracting a much wider and more diverse audience, including more children and women of all ages.
Speaking to Corriere della Sera, Stefano Domenicali explained that this transformation is the result of a long-term strategy built around innovation without abandoning Formula 1’s traditions. Record attendance figures at almost every event demonstrate, in his view, how the championship’s audience has evolved.
The cars and the racing remain at the heart of the experience, but they now exist within a much broader entertainment environment that includes concerts, autograph sessions and greater involvement from historic circuits.
“We did not want to overturn the history of F1, but to involve even more the circuits that have history on their side,” Stefano Domenicali told Corriere della Sera.
That approach is particularly relevant at Monza, one of the championship’s most historic venues and the centrepiece of the 2026 Italian Grand Prix weekend.
The pillars behind Formula 1’s future growth
Formula 1’s future development plans are based on providing investors with long-term horizons, expanding merchandising opportunities and increasing the range of commercial partners involved in the championship.
Four years ago, Formula 1 had four global partners. Today, that number has risen to 10, alongside numerous technical and regional sponsors. Television rights are another area undergoing rapid transformation, with Formula 1 strengthening its relationship with traditional broadcasters while simultaneously opening the door to streaming platforms in more developed markets.
For Stefano Domenicali, Formula 1 has consequently become far more than a sporting championship.
“A very relevant entity at an economic and political level. There is an industry behind it.”
He pointed to the contribution Formula 1 makes to the British economy as an example. Nine of the 11 teams are based in England, with the industry generating £12 billion annually, involving approximately 4,500 companies and supporting 41,000 jobs. The wider Formula 1 system also creates employment and economic returns in the countries that organise races.
The championship’s accelerating global popularity builds on a trend that has already seen Formula 1’s worldwide fan base expand significantly, with commercial growth following that broader audience.
F1 team values have transformed in just a decade
Buying a Formula 1 team now requires an enormous investment. According to Stefano Domenicali, even a relatively “small” team would require at least €2 billion, while the valuation of medium-to-large teams can reach between €4 billion and €6 billion.
The contrast with a decade ago is striking. Ten years earlier, some Formula 1 teams were being sold for as little as one pound. Today, teams are generating profits, something Stefano Domenicali considers essential to creating healthy and sustainable growth.
There is also no immediate plan to expand the grid again. In the medium term, there is no room for a 12th team, and the subject does not appear to be on Formula 1’s agenda for the next five years.
Why luxury brands, Disney and Lego want Formula 1
The arrival of luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton and Gucci reflects Formula 1’s ability to reach an increasingly broad and diversified audience.
“We have been able to attract a broad and varied audience, from traditional fans to those interested in luxury, through a world of experiences and events on a global level. In Formula 1 now there are people who want to be there because they have to be there,” Stefano Domenicali said.
Formula 1 is also focusing heavily on building loyalty among younger fans, whose attention can be more difficult to retain. Agreements with companies such as Disney and Lego are designed to create engaging content while establishing a more direct connection with drivers, many of whom are themselves young.
Stefano Domenicali is not particularly concerned by criticism surrounding individual initiatives. “I am not interested in petty controversies, I look at the bigger picture.”
Formula 1 targets growth in China, India and Africa
The United States remains one of Formula 1’s leading markets and still offers significant potential for further expansion. At the same time, Stefano Domenicali believes the resurgence of interest in Europe should not be underestimated.
China is another major priority, with an ambitious target of attracting one million spectators to the Shanghai Grand Prix within four years. Formula 1 is also looking towards India, where Stefano Domenicali believes the championship needs to build its presence carefully without repeating mistakes made in the past.
Work is continuing in Africa as well, as Formula 1 evaluates further opportunities to extend its global footprint.
“We do not set limits for ourselves, but we have to be serious, credible and earn our space to ensure lasting growth,” Stefano Domenicali explained.
The championship’s current global schedule and the expansion of its race calendar can be followed through the 2026 Formula 1 calendar.
Stefano Domenicali on the Kimi Antonelli effect in Italy
Kimi Antonelli’s position at the top of the World Championship at just 20 years old represents one of the most important stories for Italian Formula 1. Stefano Domenicali believes the Mercedes driver’s success is providing an extraordinary boost to Italy, including economically.
“As an Italian, proud to be one even though I operate in a global environment, I can only be happy to see something like this. Kimi, so young and fresh, so natural, also has an extraordinary element of romanticism.”
Kimi Antonelli will nevertheless face an unusual home Grand Prix because of his power-unit penalty. The championship leader is set for a more difficult starting position at Monza, adding another twist to his title campaign. More details on the decision and its championship implications can be found in GP-News’ report on Mercedes taking Kimi Antonelli’s Monza power-unit penalty.
Ferrari fighting at the front has an impact beyond F1
Stefano Domenicali also highlighted the importance of seeing Ferrari return to the fight at the front and regularly challenge for podium positions. In his view, a competitive Scuderia has an impact that goes far beyond sporting results, generating significant interest in Italy as well as economic benefits in other countries.
Ferrari arrives at Monza with expectations considerably higher than in several previous seasons, adding another powerful storyline to an Italian Grand Prix already shaped by Kimi Antonelli’s championship challenge.
The current balance between Ferrari and its rivals has also fuelled predictions over how the home race could unfold, with former Formula 1 driver Riccardo Patrese among those backing Charles Leclerc to challenge for victory at Monza.
Domenicali defends F1’s willingness to change
The regulations introduced by Formula 1 attracted criticism at the beginning, but Stefano Domenicali believes they have ultimately delivered a closely contested World Championship. He noted that the complaints that accompanied their introduction have largely disappeared as the season has developed.
Stefano Domenicali said he listened to the different parties involved and ensured they were included in the process, while maintaining a clear direction rather than reacting to every criticism.
“At the beginning of the year I was saying: ‘Stay calm, we will have fun.’ And isn’t that what happened? Adjustments can be made, things can be fixed, but you must never be afraid of change: that is the real limitation for those who want to grow.”
The lesson Michael Schumacher taught Stefano Domenicali
Despite Formula 1’s constant pursuit of speed, Stefano Domenicali says one of the most important lessons of his career was actually about slowing down. It came from his years working with Michael Schumacher at Ferrari.
“Michael taught me to slow down,” Stefano Domenicali said.
In a sport where everything happens at extraordinary speed, slowing down allows someone to analyse events frame by frame, improve performance and clear the mind. Stefano Domenicali believes that approach can help an individual grow while also strengthening an organisation and the people around them.
It is a philosophy that sits at the centre of his wider view of modern Formula 1: embrace change and expansion, but analyse each step carefully enough to ensure that growth remains credible, sustainable and connected to the history that made the championship what it is.
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