The BlackBook Motorsport Forum (BBMF) returns to London’s Kia Oval on Thursday 25th April for the tenth anniversary of the motorsport industry’s flagship business event.
Ten years is a long time in motorsport. In April 2014, Lewis Hamilton and Marc Márquez only had one world championship each, Max Verstappen was just 16 years old and on his way to finishing third in European Formula Three, and Formula E hadn’t even held a race.
A lot has changed for the industry itself, which has undergone a significant transformation over the last decade. Whether it’s rolling out new fan engagement strategies, the digital evolution of on and off-track operations, or the increasing importance of sustainability, the business of motorsport is an altogether different place.
One thing that has remained consistent, however, is that the BlackBook Motorsport Forum has been at the centre of it all.
“Having led the evolution of our flagship event from the early days of the BlackBook Race Forum, as it was called back in 2014, to arguably the most important business event in motorsport today, I am enormously proud of what it has become and everyone that has helped shape it,” says Peter Jones, executive director of BlackBook Motorsport.
“The first event was held at the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) in London. We hosted four short sessions and less than half the networking time we have now. However, you can’t argue with our lunchtime entertainment witnessing an F1 car doing donuts in central London during business hours.”
🎫 Have you booked your pass to #BBMF24?
— BlackBook Motorsport (@MotorsportBB) April 12, 2024
In two weeks, we'll hear from #motorsport industry experts at:
🎙️ @Morethan_Equal
🎙️ @VodafoneGroup
🎙️ @mission44
🎙️ @santanderuk
🎙️ @TotalEnergies
🎙️ @littleRbigE
🎙️ Global Karting League
➕ More!
Join us👇https://t.co/3mQKgSBaVM pic.twitter.com/6bG0yb38uJ
One challenge for the industry continues to be increasing diversity across motorsport, and this year’s agenda sees a huge increase in female representation. Indeed, 42 per cent of this year’s speakers and moderators are female, compared to 16 per cent last year.
BBMF also welcomes More than Equal as the event’s community partner, and watch out for a very special announcement at this year’s forum as the pioneering organisation unveils what’s next for its driver development programme.
As ever, this year’s BBMF will cover the topics that are shaping the business of motorsport and offer attendees the opportunity to discuss key challenges and opportunities with fellow industry professionals in roundtable discussions and networking sessions.
As BBMF prepares to look back on the past ten years of motorsport – and look forward to the future of the industry – here are the highlights to look out for:
Reflecting on 20 years of Bahrain
Since hosting the Middle East’s first Formula One Grand Prix 20 years ago, the Bahrain International Circuit has been a catalyst for motorsport’s growth across the region. As the global motorsport series continues to set its sights further afield, hear the Bahrain track’s chief commercial officer Sherif Al Mahdy discuss the venue’s plans to become the focal point for racing in the Middle East.
A match made in Italy
Asahi Europe and International agreed a multi-year deal with the iconic Ferrari team last year to bring together two Italian powerhouses. Paul Gandolfi, vice president for business development at the Ferrari Formula One team, and Gareth Morgan, global marketing manager for Peroni Nastro Azzurro, will take the stage at BBMF to share their views on the collaboration, moderated by Laura Winter.
Last fan standing
Figuring out how to grow a fanbase is a prominent challenge in modern sport, so who better than industry experts Emily Prazer and Dan Rossomondo, the chief commercial officers of Formula One and MotoGP, respectively, to talk through how their series are revolutionising the fan experience? Led by Keith Bruce, president of Quint, the session will cover engagement strategies for all kinds of supporters, from casual fans to die-hard fanatics.
The road ahead
While the BlackBook Motorsport Forum celebrates ten years, what do the next ten years look like for the motorsport industry? Beth Paretta will lead discussions with Chad Seigler, chief international officer of Nascar, Aarti Dabas, chief media officer of Formula E, and Marc de Jong, head of business development at the World Rally Championship (WRC).
Engaging the next generation
Aoife Moran, sports marketing lead for TikTok, Cameran Harman, strategic partner manager for global sports partnerships at Meta, and Kate Dalton, head of brand and marketing at the Aston Martin Formula One team, are set to highlight how the best in the business are utilising digital platforms, interactive content, and innovative approaches to reach new audiences, with Nadia El Ferdaoussi leading proceedings.
The new face of motorsport
As motorsport works to break down barriers on the road to becoming a more inclusive industry, Ali Donnelly, chief executive of More than Equal, Rob Smedley, founder of the Global Karting League, and Stephanie Travers, senior development officer for Mission 44, will outline how stakeholders can continue to push for the sport to be even more representative of the society it serves.
The golden age of endurance racing
With the World Endurance Championship in its 12th year, Michael Muerlebach, director of customer account and product management at Bosch, Frederic Lequien, chief executive of WEC, and Adam Carter, engineering director for performance at Aston Martin Performance Technologies, will explore how WEC has established itself as a leading series with a global race calendar and millions of fans across the world with Louise Beckett moderating.
Navigating motorsport as a brand
Global brands from a range of sectors will be on stage at BBMF to discuss the transformation of sponsorships and brand activations within the motorsport industry and how they are navigating the space. This panel session will feature Melissa Noakes, head of sponsorship and events for Santander, Jean-Francois Toulisse, head of partnerships, marketing and communication, motorsport division, for TotalEnergies, and Michael Nelson, head of global brand strategy for Vodafone Business, with Chris Hughes as moderator.
The next ten years of motorsport
This year’s forum will conclude with Tim Silvey leading a debate between motorsport presenter Jennie Gow, More than Equal founder Kate Beavan, ex-Formula One mechanic Marc Priestley, and BlackBook Motorsport’s Cian Brittle, who will assess the industry’s ten-year transformation and predict where it’s heading in the next decade.
BlackBook Motorsport Forum is back for its 10th anniversary edition. Join us in London this April to navigate the transformation of motorsport and the trends driving the industry forward into the next decade.