Formula 1 has transformed into one of the world's fastest-growing sports properties, reaching a global fanbase of more than 830 million people, a 12% year-on-year increase. For brokers, the opportunity goes beyond brand visibility, with partnerships increasingly becoming platforms for fan engagement and brand activation.

The trend is particularly evident within the Forex and CFD sector, where an increasing number of brokers are leveraging F1 as a global marketing and brand-building platform. XMTrading, IC Markets, Libertex, Pepperstone, AvaTrade, INFINOX and Vantage are among the brands that have entered the F1 sponsorship landscape.

London's trading industry is coming home!

Meanwhile, FxPro stands out for the longevity of its involvement in the sport, with its current partnership with McLaren dating back to 2018, following earlier F1 team sponsorships with BMW Sauber and Virgin Racing.

According to Ampere Analysis, total Formula 1 sponsorship investment exceeded US$3 billion, with teams generating more than US$2 billion and Formula 1's commercial rights holders contributing the remaining US$1 billion.

SponsorUnited's Formula 1 Sponsorship Intelligence Report 2025 also highlights technology as the largest sponsoring sector, investing US$543 million, while financial services ranks as the second-largest category.

Team partnerships can command US$5 million–US$20 million per season, with high-profile partnerships potentially requiring significantly greater investment, making activation critical to maximising the value of the partnership.

Why Are Forex and CFD Brands Investing?

The growing presence of Forex and CFD brands in Formula 1 is unlikely to be coincidental.

As competition intensifies across the industry, firms are increasingly looking beyond traditional digital advertising to build stronger brand equity and earn traders' trust. Formula 1 provides a unique platform to achieve this through its global reach, premium positioning and year-round content ecosystem.

Formula 1 also embodies many of the same attributes that trading platforms seek to communicate: speed, precision, technology, continuous innovation and high-performance decision-making. This natural alignment allows sponsorships to feel authentic, creating stronger brand associations than traditional advertising alone.

What Makes Formula 1 Different?

1. Every Grand Prix Is a Unique Destination

Unlike traditional league competitions, where each match follows a similar format, every Formula 1 Grand Prix has its own identity.

Historic circuit venues such as Silverstone and Monza showcase the sport's rich heritage, while destination races in Monaco, Singapore, Miami, Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi offer completely different atmospheres and experiences.

Rather than repeating the same event every week, Forex and CFD firms gain a portfolio of unique destinations that can be tailored to different markets, client segments and business objectives throughout the season.

2. Formula 1 Is More Than a Sporting Event

Formula 1 has evolved into a lifestyle and entertainment platform rather than just a racing series. Race weekends increasingly combine elite motorsport with fine dining, luxury hospitality, live concerts, fashion, celebrity appearances and premium networking opportunities.

This broader ecosystem allows sponsors to engage audiences beyond traditional motorsport fans while positioning their brands alongside innovation, luxury and world-class experiences.

3. World-Class Hospitality Creates Business Value

Hospitality remains one of Formula 1's most powerful commercial assets. Experiences such as Paddock Club access, garage tours, pit lane walks, driver appearances and behind-the-scenes team access create unforgettable moments that few sports can match.

For Forex and CFD firms, these experiences provide valuable opportunities to strengthen relationships with introducing brokers, affiliates, institutional partners, VIP clients and prospective customers in a premium business environment where conversations often extend beyond the race itself.

4. One Partnership, a Truly Global Platform

For Forex and CFD brokers, growth rarely comes from a single region or market. Formula 1's truly global calendar gives brokers the opportunity to engage clients and business partners across North America, the GCC, Europe and Asia-Pacific, while its diverse hospitality offering allows brands to tailor experiences to different audiences, even within the same Grand Prix.

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This enables brokers to build a consistent global brand while supporting regional customer acquisition, partner engagement and business development.

5. F1 Offers More Than Race-Day Exposure

Rather than relying on one-off promotions, brokers can keep partnerships relevant throughout the customer journey, making Formula 1 an always-on platform for brand building and customer engagement.

For instance, FxPro has used its McLaren partnership to create content-led activations, including its Strategy Debrief series, which provides behind-the-scenes insight into McLaren's race strategy and key decisions.

By bringing the team's expertise and decision-making process to audiences, the activation creates a natural connection between the high-stakes tactical decisions of F1 and the principles of precision and risk management in financial markets.

Pepperstone has taken a more experiential approach through its Aston Martin Aramco partnership, creating a range of client and partner experiences, including pit-lane dinners, Monaco yacht hospitality, driver meet-and-greets, garage tours and Silverstone track days.

These experiences give the broker a platform to deepen relationships with existing clients, create memorable touchpoints for prospects and engage business partners in a more personal setting.

Together, these examples illustrate how brokers can use F1 partnerships for more than brand visibility, creating ongoing opportunities to engage clients, prospects and partners throughout the season.

6. The Challenge of F1 Partnerships and Making Them Work

For brokers considering an investment in Formula 1, the first step is recognising that F1 is a truly global property. Unlike other sports sponsorships centred around relatively fixed home venues and regular matchday routines, every Grand Prix is a different operating environment.

The circuit, organisers, hospitality infrastructure, transport, local culture and surrounding events can all vary significantly. Delivering a premium guest experience therefore starts long before guests arrive at the track, from the first invitation and travel arrangements through to the final moment of the race weekend. The details matter.

There is also far more happening around a Grand Prix than the race itself. Concerts, fireside conversations, fan activities, paddock experiences and other events can create additional touchpoints throughout the weekend. For brokers hosting clients, prospects or business partners, these can become valuable components of a wider experience rather than simply being treated as ancillary benefits of the partnership.

The opportunity extends beyond the race weekend, too. Team factories, technical facilities and off-track access can create highly exclusive, money-can't-buy experiences. Fireside conversations with team principals, discussions with technical representatives, driver appearances and factory tours can give clients a different perspective on the sport while creating more meaningful engagement with the brand.

Perhaps most importantly, brokers should consider how the partnership can create value for both sides. The strongest partnerships are no longer simply about paying for rights and access; they can also involve integrating a broker's products, technology or services into the wider F1 ecosystem.

This creates the potential for two-way business case studies that demonstrate how the partnership delivers tangible value to the rights holder while giving the broker an authentic story to take to clients, prospects and relevant industry stakeholders.

Ultimately, making an F1 partnership work requires more than securing the rights. It requires understanding the complexity of the calendar, curating the experience around each race and finding ways for the brand and rights holder to create value together.

Final Thoughts

For Forex and CFD brands, the opportunity in Formula 1 goes well beyond securing visibility on a car or access to a race weekend. The global calendar, diverse hospitality, content opportunities and access to teams and talent create a platform that can be activated differently across markets and throughout the season.

But that opportunity also comes with complexity. Every Grand Prix presents a different environment, audience and set of possibilities, meaning the value of the partnership ultimately depends on how well a broker understands the ecosystem and connects it to its own commercial objectives.

The most effective F1 partnerships are therefore not simply sponsorships. They are platforms for creating experiences, building relationships and developing stories that have value for both the broker and the rights holder.