1. Chase Carey | Chairman and CEO, Formula One Group
| Position last year: 1 |
| Age: 65 |
| Bio: Formula 1 boss, in charge of the whole sport. |
Succeeding Bernie Ecclestone to the top spot, Chase has previously worked in senior positions for News Corp, Direct TV and 21st Century Fox. He has an overall responsibility for the sport and acts on behalf of Liberty Media.
Carey first came to work with Fox, a News Corporation holding, in 1988. Over the course of the following decade he served as COO of Fox, Inc., and CEO of Fox Broadcasting. During this time, he helped launch both Fox Sports and Fox News. He also served as co-COO of News Corporation, along with Peter Chernin.
During the time that Carey was working for News Corp, the company purchased a 34% controlling interest in Hughes Electron-
ics, which at the time owned DirecTV, a satellite TV provider. Carey had already served on the DirecTV board of directors, and in 2003 he was appointed CEO.
At DirecTV, Carey had plans to add 1 million new subscribers a year, and had met that goal when he left the company six years later. Carey’s tenure at DirecTV was widely considered successful, and the company returned to profitability.
In 2006, News Corporation sold its controlling interest in DirecTV to Liberty Media, in exchange for News Corp shares.
In June of 2009, it was announced that Carey would be leaving DirectTV and returning to News Corp. He assumed the posts of President and COO that had been held by Chernin, as well as the post of Deputy Chairman.
In August 2011, Rupert Murdoch tipped Carey to be his successor as CEO of News Corporation. It was previously assumed that Murdoch’s son James would succeed him. In 2013, Carey was announced as the COO of 21st Century Fox, the legal successor of News Corporation and the owner of most of its film and television properties, News Corporation’s print media and Australian assets being spun off as News Corp. In 2015, Carey was re-assigned as executive co-chairman, while James Murdoch became CEO. Carey resigned this position in to become a consultant to Fox. In 2017, Carey was installed as CEO and Executive chairman of Formula One Group, after Liberty Media completed their $4.4 billion acquisition.
2. Ross Brawn | Formula One Managing Director of Motorsports
| Position last year: 2 |
| Age: 64 |
| Bio: In charge of the sporting matters. |
Ross has a tough task ahead of him to navigate his way through the 2020 Concorde agreement. There is also pressure to change the format of the actual race to make it more entertaining.
There is however arguably no one better to do this. As Chase Carey’s right hand man, being a former motorsport engineer and Formula 1 Team Principal, Ross Brawn is ideally positioned to take the sport forward.
Ross has worked for a number of Formula 1 teams, serving as the technical director of the championship-winning Benetton and Ferrari teams. He took a sabbatical from the sport in 2007 but returned to Formula 1 for the 2008 season as the Team Principal of Honda. He was the owner of the Brawn GP team, which acquired the Honda team in early 2009, and won the Formula One Constructors and Drivers Championships that year. Mercedes bought into the team in November 2009, making Brawn Team Principal and Co-Owner with Nick Fry. In 2011, Brawn and Fry sold the remaining shares to Mercedes Benz, with Brawn remaining as Team Principal. In November 2013, it was announced that Brawn would step down, and the reins would be handed over to a management team consisting of Paddy Lowe and Toto Wolff. Following speculation linking him with other teams, Brawn announced his retirement from Formula 1 in February 2014. Teams with Brawn in an essential role have won, in total, 8 constructors’ championships and 8 drivers’ championships.
On 23 January 2017, it was announced that Ross Brawn was appointed to the newly created role of Formula One Managing Director of Motorsports.
3. Dr Dieter Zetsche | Chairman, Daimler AG
| Position last year: 4 |
| Age: 66 |
| Bio: Owner of Mercedes F1, has a big influence on the German GP. |
The boss of Daimler, owner of the champion- ship-winning team Mercedes AMG Petronas. A big influencer in the German Grand Prix! He is credited with instigating a great sea of change in the fortunes of DaimlerChrysler and masterminding the de-merger of the two companies in 2007, becoming Chair- man of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars. The company’s importance to the continuation of Formula 1, as an engine supplier and manufacturer, cannot be underestimated, and as it stands, Dr. Dieter Zetsche appears happy to continue with Mercedes’ involvement in the sport.
Dieter Zetsche attended school in Oberursel (near Frankfurt am Main) and studied electrical engineering from 1971 to 1976 at the University of Karlsruhe; he graduated as an engineer. He completed his doctorate in engineering in 1982 at the University of Paderborn.
He was named in Time Magazine’s 2006 list of 100 most influential people.
On the invitation of the Green Party’s leadership, Zetsche was invited to address the 2016 party conference.
4. Dietrich Mateschitz | Co-founder, Red Bull
| Position last year: 5 |
| Age: 75 |
| Bio: Owner of the championship-winning Formula 1 team. |
From marketing man at a German cosmetics company to owner of the world’s biggest energy drink and a championship winning Formula 1 team. Red Bull revolutionised the way we view modern day sports marketing. By underwriting a number of extreme sports competitions and sponsoring athletes in alternative fields, the company established its reputation within a consumer demographic. It was exactly this, which brought Dietrich Mateschitz to Formula 1.
Following sponsorships of Gehard Berger and a majority stake holding in Sauber, Mateschitz bought the assets of Ford’s Jaguar-branded team (formerly Stewart) and set about turning it into a powerful force. It was unclear at some cases whether this was just another marketing gimmick for a company desperate to exploit a number of markets that Formula 1 was exploring, but once the championship points started rolling in, Mateschitz’s intention was clear.
He also owned Seitenblicke, Austria’s top society magazine, but avoids the celebrity circuit and watches most Formula 1 races on TV despite owning two teams, Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso.
5. Louis Camilleri | Ferrari CEO
| Position last year: New to the list |
| Age: 63 |
| Bio: Major decision maker in Ferrari’s future. |
Louis Camilleri has recently be appointed as CEO of Ferrari following the sad death of Sergio Marchionne in 2018. The responsibility of Scuderia Ferrari’s continuation in the sport depends on him and his board members.
This is particularly crucial given the renewal of the Concorde agreement in 2020.
After working as a business analyst in Lausanne, Switzerland, Camilleri joined Philip Morris Europe in 1978 as a business development analyst. He held various positions involving the cigarette business in Europe and the Middle East, but in December 1995, he was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Kraft Foods. He was named senior vice president and chief financial officer of Philip Morris in November 1996. Camilleri became CEO of Philip Morris, in April 2002.
6. Torger Christian “Toto” Wolff | Executive Director at Mercedes AMG Petronas
| Position last year: 7 |
| Age: 47 |
| Bio: Executive director at Mercedes AMG Petronas, current champions. |
On November 20, 2009, it was announced that Toto Wolff, a former racing driver, had bought a share of the Williams F1 and joined the board of directors of the team. He reportedly owns 16% of the shares and listed the company as the first Formula 1 team on the Frankfurt Stock exchange.
After an eight year winless streak, Wolff led Williams to a Grand Prix victory in Barcelona in 2012. In the same year, he was named Executive Director of Williams F1. On January 21, 2013, it was announced that Wolff had parted ways with Williams F1 to become an executive director of the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team. In addition to joining the team, he will also acquire a “significant minority interest” in the team.
Wolff is expected to take over the coordination of all Mercedes-Benz motorsport activities, a responsibility previously held by Norbert Haug. As part of the role, Wolff remains a Williams’s shareholder, but does not have a role at the team.
7. Thierry Bolloré | CEO Renault-Nissan
| Position last year: New to the list |
| Age: 55 |
| Bio: A member of the Groupe Renault Executive Committee, he also sits on the AvtoVAZ Board of Directors. |
Bolloré has recently been appointed Chief Executive Officer, Renault Nissan taking over from Carlos Ghosn. He is a member of the Groupe Renault Executive Committee and member of the Alliance operating board. Bolloré began his career in 1990 at Michelin, as Shop Manager at a heavy truck tire plant. In 1993, he became Chief of Process and Quality Central Group for worldwide heavy truck plants before taking the head of the Method Group for heavy truck business units in Europe, South America, Africa, and Asia. In 1997, he moved to Japan as Industrial Assistant of the Michelin’s Ōta Passenger Car tire plant, then, to Thailand, in 1998, as Production Manager for Heavy Trucks, before being appointed Managing Director of Truck and Aircraft Businesses.
In 2002, he became global Vice President in charge of Industry for Michelin Aircraft Business.
Bolloré joined Faurecia in 2005 as Vice President Asia, Exhaust Systems Product Group, based in China, then served as Vice President Worldwide in charge of Marketing, R&D, Programs, Strategy, and Business Development. In 2010, he moved to Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies as Vice President in charge of Europe and South Africa, prior to becoming Vice President World- wide in charge of Industry, Quality, and Purchasing. Bolloré joined Groupe Renault in September 2012. He was appointed Executive Vice President for Manufacturing and Supply Chain in October 2012. In September 2013, he was named Chief Competitive Officer and, on February 19, 2018, became Groupe Renault Chief Operating Officer.
8. Jean Todt | President FIA
| Position last year: 9 |
| Age: 73 |
| Bio: In charge of the rules of Formula 1. |
The lead individual responsible for the rules of the sport which has a profound effect on the future of Formula 1. In October, 2009 Jean Todt was elected president of the Federation Internationale de L’Automobile following a decade and a half’s rule by Max Mosley.
Jean has enjoyed a famously successful motorsport career: under his direction, Peugeot won four World Rally Championship titles (drivers’ and manufacturers’), won the Paris-Dakar Rally four times, and twice won the Le Mans 24 Hours; during his time at Ferrari, the Scuderia won 14 Formula 1 World Championship titles (drivers’ and manufacturers’).
Educated in Paris, Todt began his career in motorsport when he navigated for a friend in his father’s Mini Cooper S. He oversaw World Rally Championship titles with Ari Vatanen in 1985 and 1986 with Peugeot Talbot Sport and later, still with Peugeot, won the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1992 and 1993.
On 29 April 2015, Todt was appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations as his Special Envoy for Road Safety.
9. Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa | Crown Prince of Bahrain
| Position last year: 10 |
| Age: 49 |
| Bio: Big shareholder in the McLaren group. |
A huge influencer in the appearance of the Bahrain GP on the calendar. He is also a major shareholder in the McLaren Group.
Prince Salman established the Crown Prince’s International Scholarship Program in 1999 to guide Bahrain’s young people into the 21st century. Under the program, the most able high school students from Bah- rain are awarded scholarships to continue their higher education overseas, and return to productively contribute to the development of Bahrain. More than 140 students from across Bahrain’s society have been awarded the scholarship, and have had the opportunity to study abroad, including the UK, US and France.
Prior to assuming the duties of crown prince, Salman was vice-chairman of the Bahrain Centre for Studies and Re- search (BCSR) (1992–1995), undersecretary of defence at the Ministry of Defence (1995–1999), and chairman of the board of trustees of the BCSR (1995–1999).
Salman was sworn in as Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Bahrain on 9 March 1999 and held the post of commander-in-chief of the Bahrain Defence Force from 22 March 1999 to 6 January 2008.
10. John Elkann | Chairman and CEO of Exor Chairman of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
| Position last year: New to the list |
| Age: 43 |
| Bio: John Philip Jacob Elkann is an American-Italian industrialist. |
John controls Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (which owns Alfa Romeo). He is the chairman and CEO of Exor, the holding company controlled by the Agnelli family, which also owns Partner Re and holds a controlling stake in Ferrari. He was also appointed as Chairman of Ferrari after Sergio Marchionne had to leave due to health issues.
Elkann was born in New York and holds both Italian and American citizenship. He is also a regular contributor to the Google Camp, which every year gathers tech entrepreneurs, investors, representatives of institutions, and pop stars in Sciacca, Agrigento and other places around Sicily. In June 2018 he invited Peter Thiel, Reid Hoffman, Xavier Niel and other global tech leaders to the SEI Torino Forum for the international launch of the new School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation of Turin, the initiative supported by the Agnelli Foundation helping university level students to start new businesses.
11. Mattia Binotto | Team Principal of Ferrari F1
| Position last year: New to the list |
| Age: 49 |
| Bio: From January 7, 2019 he is appointed as Managing Director Gestione Sportiva and Team Principal Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow. |
Mattia Binotto has recently been announced as the Team Principal of Scuderia Ferrari following Maurizio Arrivabene’s departure.
Having graduated in Mechanical Engineering from the Lausanne Polytechnic in 1994, he then obtained a Master in Motor Vehicle Engineering in Modena. In 1995, he joined the Scuderia Ferrari test team as a Test Engine Engineer and fulfilled the same role with the race team from 1997 to 2003.
In 2004, he became a Race engine engineer and from 2007 Binotto took on the role of Chief Engineer, race and assembly, moving on in 2009 to Head of Engine and KERS Operations.
Having been appointed Deputy Director, Engine and Electronics in October 2013, Binotto subsequently took on the role of Chief Operating Officer, Power Unit.
On July 27, 2016, he has been appointed Chief Technical Officer of Scuderia Ferrari before taking the Team Principal role.
12. Lawrence Stroll | Investor and Owner, Circuit Mont-Tremblant
| Position last year: 69 |
| Age: 59 |
| Bio: A Canadian billionaire businessman, part-owner of the Racing Point Formula 1 team and collector of vintage Ferraris. |
Mr. Lawrence S. Strulovitch, also known as Stroll, took over the Force India Racing Team from September 2018. He and his investment team renamed it Racing Point for the 2020 season. His son Lance currently races for the team alongside Sergio Perez.
Stroll served as Chief Executive Officer of Tommy Hilfiger Limited. Prior to then, he served as Chief Executive Officer of Pepe Jeans London Corporation from 1993 to 1998. He has been Chairman of Global Brands Acquisition Corp. since July 3, 2007. He serves as Co-Chairman of Sportswear Holdings Ltd as well as Co-Chairman of the Board at Tommy Hilfiger Corporation since 1998. He previously served as Co-Chairman of Michael Kors (USA), Inc. And co-Chairman of Hackett Ltd.
13. Christian Horner | Team Principal, Red Bull Racing
| Position last year: 8 |
| Age: 45 |
| Bio: His experience as a racer and latterly in a management role means he is a highly valued member of the team. |
Once rumoured to be Bernie Ecclestone’s successor, Christian leads the Red Bull team, and has the trust of Dietrich Mateschitz, working side by side with Helmut Marko. Horner first raced himself in a kart at the age of 12, and soon after moved to Formula Renault – his motorsport career started as a racing car driver, before he switched roles to become head of International Formula 3000 team Arden International Motorsport in 1999.
At 36, Horner was the youngest Team Principal to win a Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship, and his four consecutive wins with Red Bull from 2010 to 2013 made him a highly respected figure in the paddock.
14. Sean Bratches | Managing Director, F1 Commercial Operations
| Position last year: 12 |
| Age: 69 |
| Bio: In charge of commercial decisions. |
Sean Bratches comes from a TV background at ESPN and he’s now responsible for all commercial decisions in the sport which covers sponsorship, TV, hospitality and communications, reporting directly to Chase Carey.
S. Bratches is part of the powerful Formula 1 trio that consists of him, Chase Carey and Ross Brawn. This managerial structure has replaced Bernie Ecclestone’s solo style of running the sport.
Being a truly influential figure in the sports business, Bratches was named one of the top 50 most powerful people in sports by the Sports Business Journal. In 2008, he was also inducted into the RIT Sports Hall of Fame for lacrosse and distinguished service.
15. Niki Lauda | Non-executive Chairman, Mercedes-Benz
| Position last year: 13 |
| Age: 70 |
| Bio: Racing legend, who sadly past away. |
Well respected at Mercedes AMG Petronas and a key influencer with both drivers, his experience as a racer and latterly in a management role means he is a highly-valued member of the team.
He was also a consultant for Scuderia Ferrari and team manager of the Jaguar Formula 1 racing team for two years. He is currently working as a pundit for German TV during Grand Prix weekends and acts as non-executive chairman of the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team. Lauda owned 10% of the team.
16. Zak Brown | CEO, McLaren Racing
| Position last year: 15 |
| Age: 47 |
| Bio: Brown is currently the Chief Executive Officer of McLaren Racing and owner of United Autosports. |
Ex-CEO of CSM and no stranger to the world of motorsport, Zak is now CEO of McLaren Racing. He helped the team make the brave (financial) decision to leave Honda, and millions of sincere fans hope to see the iconic team thrive again.
Brown’s accomplishments as a sports marketer have been reflected through multiple industry recognitions, including as a Marketer of the Year by PROMO magazine, being named four times in the INC 500 Fastest Growing Private Companies of the Year, and his inclusion in the SportsBusiness Journal’s Forty Under 40 Hall of Fame, having been presented the award three times.
17. Cyril Abiteboul | Renault Sport F1 Managing Director
| Position last year: 16 |
| Age: 41 |
| Bio: From 2013 to 2014 he was the team principal of Caterham Formula One team, and is currently the managing director of the Renault F1 Team. |
Definitely not a new face to Formula 1, but in his most senior position to date. Eyes are always on Cyril to see how he delivers against his counterparts.
He joined the Caterham F1 Team in September 2012. The Frenchman previously worked with team partner Renault, where he was Deputy Managing Director of Renault Sport F1. On 8 November 2012, Abiteboul was appointed as team principal of Caterham, taking the place of Tony Fernandes.
In July 2014, after Abiteboul’s departure from Caterham F1 team had been announced, Renault confirmed his return as Managing Director of Renault Sport F1.
18. Mansour Ojjeh | CEO of TAG Group, Co-Owner of McLaren
| Position last year: 17 |
| Age: 66 |
| Bio: Ojjeh is the CEO of TAG which owns 21% of the McLaren Technology Group, the most important asset of which is the McLaren Formula One team. |
Mansour has been part of the McLaren set up for many decades now. There have been some concerns about his health in recent years, but he is very close to the Bahrainis and despite his enormous business success remains a lovely character to be around and an important part of the iconic team.
He is the former owner of TAG Heuer watches. He also owns 10% of the upmarket jewellers Asprey and Garrard.
19. Greg Maffei | President and CEO of Liberty Media
| Position last year: New to the list |
| Age: 58 |
| Bio: A businessperson who has been at the helm of 16 different companies. |
Greg is the boss of so many key people in Formula 1. He’s also chair- man of Live Nation Entertainment, Sirius XM, and TripAdvisor. Maffei is the chairman emeritus of Starz and Expedia, as well as the former chief financial officer of Oracle and Microsoft.
20. Dr. Helmut Marko | Motorsport Consultant, Red Bull
| Position last year: 18 |
| Age: 76 |
| Bio: Head Red Bull’s drive development program. |
Helmut is an extremely important member of the Red Bull team, overseeing the driver program and a key advisor to Christian Horner.
Marko became a doctor of law in 1967. He owns two hotels in Graz and was manager for Austrian racing drivers Gerhard Berger and Karl Wendlinger for some years before setting up and running RSM Marko in 1989, a race team competing in Formula 3 and Formula 3000; running under the name Red Bull Junior Team from 1999 onwards.
21. Lewis Hamilton | Driver, Mercedes AMG Petronas
| Position last year: 19 |
| Age: 34 |
| Bio: A five-time Formula One World Champion. |
Without doubt he’s the most marketable driver in the paddock today, strengthening his influence every year. Hamilton’s five world championships look to be just a start, but aside from his obvious talent, his personal life attracts significant media attention which can only be a good thing for the sport.
As of 2015, Hamilton was ranked as the richest British sportsperson, with an estimated personal for- tune of £88m. In 2019, that number is already £218 million. He’s very active on his social media channels, currently having almost six million followers on Twitter and over eleven million on Instagram.
22. Jérôme Stoll | President, Renault Sport Racing
| Position last year: 20 |
| Age: 65 |
| Bio: A relatively new face in the sport having only been appointed to this position in March 2016, Jérôme is an experienced hand at Renault, having been with the business for more than three decades.Jérôme graduated from the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Paris (ESCP) and the Centre de Perfectionnement aux Affaires (CPA/HEC). He joined Renault industrial vehicles in 1980, where after he became Managing Director of Berliet Nigeria, a Renault industrial vehicle subsidiary. |
23. Otmar Szafnauer | CEO and Team Principal of the Racing Point F1 Team
| Position last year: 89 |
| Age: 54 |
| Bio: After leaving Honda in 2008, Otmar founded Soft Pauer, which released the official Formula One Timing and Track Positioning Application on the iPhone in June 2009. Szafnauer joined Force India in October 2009, and has played an integral role in the team’s improved performance. Szafnauer’s efforts also played an instrumental role in the team securing a long-term agreement to use the Mercedes powertrain from the 2014 season onwards. |
24. Mike O’Driscoll | CEO, Rokit Williams Racing
| Position last year: 21 |
| Age: 63 |
| Bio: A humble yet impressive figure at Williams F1 Team. A proven businessman having previously been President for Aston Martin, Jaguar and Land Rover North America, Mike then returned to the UK to lead Jaguar Cars through the sales process to Tata motors. |
25. Jonathan Neale | COO, McLaren Group
| Position last year: 22 |
| Age: 56 |
| Bio: A low profile individual who has been promoted from leading McLaren Racing to now oversee the Operations at McLaren Group. A key influencer with sponsors of the team too, so a highly valued member of the whole outfit. |
26. Gene Haas | Owner of Haas Racing and Haas Automotive
| Position last year: 23 |
| Age: 66 |
| Bio: Gene’s partnership with Ferrari has paid off. Haas F1 have enjoyed a better performance than most of the newer teams to the sport. The question is whether they will ever be able to rival the top teams? The only team owner to have a Nascar team too, so all this could provide a seriously powerful marketing platform for a multi-team brand. |
27. Claire Williams | Deputy Team Principal, Rokit Williams Racing
| Position last year: 24 |
| Age: 42 |
|
Bio: After graduating from Newcastle University in 1999 with a degree in Politics, Claire began her career in the motorsport industry when she joined Silverstone Circuit as a press officer in 2000.Growing up in Formula One, Claire unsurprisingly had a passion for the sport from an early age but it wasn’t a foregone conclusion that she would follow a career at Williams. However, following her spell at Silverstone, the then Head of Marketing at the team, Jim Wright approached Claire about joining the family business. After some hard lobbying of Frank, Claire joined Williams in 2002 as a Communications Officer. She was later promoted to the role of Head of Communications in 2010 and was duly responsible for all internal and external communications. After Williams floated on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in March 2011, Claire took on the position of Head of Investor Relations to supplement her role. On the 1st April 2012 Claire was appointed Commercial Director, taking the lead on partner acquisitions, marketing, brand and communications, and continues to do so today. At the same time, Claire was appointed a member of the Board. In March 2013, Claire stepped up to the position of Deputy Team Principal for the Williams F1 Team. In this role Claire has full responsibility for the day to day running and long term development of the race team while also representing the Williams family’s majority and controlling shareholding of the Williams Group of companies on the Board. In 2016, Claire was appointed Vice President of the Spinal Injuries Association. In her role as Vice President, Claire is an advocate for the spinal cord injured community and assists the Spinal Injuries Association with their work in keeping their needs at the forefront of public affairs. She is also a Patron of F1 in Schools and an Ambassador for Dare to be Different and Innovate UK. Claire was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Queen’s 2016 Birthday Honours List in recognition of her services to Formula One. |
28. Jean-Frederic Dufour | CEO, Rolex SA
| Position last year: 25 |
| Age: 50 |
| Bio: An important and high-profile partnership for FOM not just for the money they are spending, but Rolex is exactly the type of a brand that the sport should be attracting. The focus is almost entirely on brand exposure, which makes them a highly visible partner around the circuits. |
29. Takahiro Hachigo | CEO, Honda
| Position last year: 34 |
| Age: 60 |
| Bio: A bold move to come back into Formula 1 which was ultimately agreed by Takahiro Hachigo. He’s had some significant challenges with the performance of his engine, but insiders believe it’s just a matter of time before Honda get it right. |
30. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum | CEO & Chairman of Emirates
| Position last year: 27 |
| Age: 60 |
|
Bio: A billionaire member of Dubai’s ruling Al Maktoum family, he is believed to be one of the world’s wealthiest royals. Emirates is truly a major partner of Formula One Management, obtaining significant brand exposure from the sport. |
31. Frédéric Vasseur | Managing Director and Team Principal, Alfa Romeo Racing
| Position last year: New to the list |
| Age: 51 |
| Bio: Vasseur studied aeronautics and engineering before starting his career in the junior Formula series creating his own team, ASM. Known for his success and fostering talent, he eventually moved on to Formula 1 as race director and eventually Team Principal for Renault F1 before leaving the team in 2016 because of different visions in managing the team. Subsequently, he was hired by Sauber in July 2017. |
32. James Allison | Technical Director, Mercedes AMG Petronas
| Position last year: 28 |
| Age: 51 |
| Bio: Taking over from Paddy Lowe, James has moved from Scuderia Ferrari as he wanted to live back in the UK. |
33. Sebastian Vettel | Driver, Scuderia Ferrari
| Position last year: 29 |
| Age: 31 |
| Bio: Seb is a four-time world champion, now racing for Ferrari and a key influencer within the GPDA. Previously criticised for not being the biggest character in the sport, he has gradually gained the global confidence of fans on and off the track. |
34. Andy Cowell | Managing Director of Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains
| Position last year: 31 |
| Age: 50 |
| Bio: Andy has arguably made one of the biggest impacts in the sport as he has led the team who have without doubt produced the best engine in the sport today, which has in turn been probably the biggest contributing factor to the success of Mercedes AMG Petronas. |
35. Sir Jackie Stewart | Former Driver, Rolex ambassador, brand advisor
| Position last year: 32 |
| Age: 79 |
| Bio: Sir Jackie may not have driven for many years now, but he is still right in the thick of the sport. He is currently a Rolex and Heineken Ambassador as well as an advisor to many potential and existing brands in Formula 1. |
36. Guenther Steiner | Team Principal, Haas Racing
| Position last year: 33 |
| Age: 54 |
| Bio: Guenther has significant experience in Formula 1 at Red Bull Racing, Jaguar Racing and prior to that in WRC for Ford. Steiner was targeted by Gene Haas himself to lead the only American racing team in Formula 1. |
37. Robin Fenwick | CEO and Founder, Right Formula
| Position last year: 36 |
| Age: 38 |
| Bio: Fenwick is Founder and owner of Right Formula, the largest agency specialising in Formula 1. He started the business 10 years ago after spending time at Hilton, heading up their sport Sponsorships. Prior to that he worked for McLaren, responsible for the Title Partner amongst others.He started his career at Interpublic Group Agency, Octagon working with Heineken and Vodafone. Right Formula currently rep- resent more sponsors than any other agency, which includes big brands such as SAP, Pirelli, Epson, Logitech, Hilton, Sky Sports, Red Bull, Mahle and Acronis. |
38. Sir Frank Williams | Founder, Williams F1 Team
| Position last year: 37 |
| Age: 77 |
| Bio: Frank has achieved so much in the world of Formula 1 over the years, but has taken more of a step back given recent health problems. He re- mains an inspiration to many and continues to run Williams Martini Racing with the increasing support of his daughter Claire. |
39. Franz Tost | Team Principal, Scuderia Toro Rosso
| Position last year: 38 |
| Age: 63 |
| Bio: Franz Tost has led Red Bull’s second team for a number of years now. He is a well-respected individual in the paddock and has helped foster the talent that comes from the Red Bull Development Driver pool. |
40. Jean-François van Boxmeer | Chief Executive Officer of Heineken International
| Position last year: 39 |
| Age: 57 |
| Bio: Jean-François is head of the global beer manufacturer who partnered with Formula 1 since the 2016 Canadian Grand Prix. |
41. Ken Allen | CEO & Chairman DHL
| Position last year: 40 |
| Age: 64 |
| Bio: Ken is the key influencer at DHL, signing the partnership with Formula 1. DHL has been a Global Formula 1 Partner of FOM for many years now. They have become more active in recent years with the DHL Fastest Lap Award as well as support with a number of Team logistics. |
42. Carlos Slim Helú | CEO, Telmex
| Position last year: 41 |
| Age: 79 |
| Bio: Previously ranked as the richest person in the world, he takes a keen interest in Formula 1. Supporting various teams and drivers with sponsorship money and certainly an influencer in the Mexican Grand Prix together with his son Carlos Slim Domit. |
43. Matteo Bonciani | FIA, Head of F1 Communications
| Position last year: 42 |
| Age: 49 |
| Bio: Matteo plays a very important role for the FIA, which works closely with Formula 1 to ensure that the communications are clear and the relevant media are engaged. Bonciani makes it no secret that he has a strong bond with Jean Todt. |
44. Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing Driver
| Position last year: New to the list |
| Age: 21 |
| Bio: Max is a Belgian-Dutch racing driver who competes under the Dutch flag in Formula One. At aged 17 years, 166 days, he became the young- est driver to compete in Formula 1 at the 2015 Australian Grand Prix. He also holds eight other “firsts” in Formula One racing. He has become Red Bull’s lead and highest paid driver. |
45. Michel Boeri | President, Automobile Club de Monaco
| Position last year: 43 |
| Age: 77 |
| Bio: Responsible for the most prestigious Grand Prix on the calendar. Running since 1929, this track is an absolute favourite with fans and drivers alike, which has seen many dignitaries and celebrities in attendance over the decades.. |
46. Vinod Kumar | CEO, Tata Communications
| Position last year: 44 |
| Age: 54 |
| Bio: An important technical partner of Formula One Management and Mercedes AMG Petronas. Day-to-day decision making is conducted by CMO, Mehul Kapadia. |
47. Michael Roche | Executive Director of Singapore GP
| Position last year: 45 |
| Age: 59 |
| Bio: Michael is responsible for the Singapore Grand Prix, which was Formula 1’s first night race and now one of the most important races for business. Running through the heart of the city, the scenes from this race are quite spectacular and it’s hard to see this race ever leaving the calendar. |
48. Masashi Yamamoto | Head of Honda Motorsport
| Position last year: 46 |
| Age: 57 |
| Bio: Responsible for all of Honda’s motorsport activity, Masashi Yamamoto has a deep understanding of racing, having previously been a driver himself. Looking after the sporting side of Formula 1 and developing the future strategy of Honda F1 – including partnership discussions – are key parts of Yamamoto’s role. |
49. Valtteri Bottas | Driver, Mercedes AMG Petronas
| Position last year: New to the list |
| Age: 29 |
|
Bio: Valtteri Viktor Bottas is a Finnish racing driver currently competing at Mercedes. Bottas previously drove for Williams from 2013 to 2016. Currently residing in Monaco, Bottas is becoming a more influential figure in the world of Formula 1 due to his racing abilities as well as his strong personality. |
50. Stuart Pringle | Managing Director, Silverstone Circuits
| Position last year: 47 |
| Age: 43 |
| Bio: Silverstone hosts the home race for the majority of Formula 1 teams. Stuart successfully leads the organisational team behind the famous British circuit. |
51. Murray Barnett | Director of Sponsorships and Partnerships, FOM
| Position last year: 44 |
| Age: 48 |
| Bio: Murray joins Formula 1 from World Rugby, where he held the position of Chief Commercial Officer. Reporting directly to Sean Bratches, Murray has been in the role for a year now, but he’s yet to achieve any significant new partners – the pressure is on! |
52. Bobby Epstein | Chairman, Circuit of the Americas
| Position last year: 49 |
| Age: 59 |
| Bio: Bobby was the key player in bringing Formula 1 back to the United States following the Indianapolis race, which had its problems. He has done an amazing job given various funding challenges he has had over the years. |
53. Charles Leclerc | Driver, Scuderia Ferrari
| Position last year: New to the list |
| Age: 21 |
| Bio: Leclerc made his Formula One debut in 2018 for Sauber given their association with Ferrari (as he was part of its driver academy). Leclerc agreed on a contract with Ferrari for the 2019 season driving alongside Sebastian Vettel. Leclerc became the second youngest driver to qualify on pole position in Formula One at the 2019 Bahrain Grand Prix already this year. He has a bright future ahead! |
54. David Coulthard | Presenter, Brand Ambassador, Former Driver
| Position last year: 51 |
| Age: 48 |
| Bio: David, or “DC”, as he is known by his friends, is one of the most liked and respected ex-Formula 1 drivers. He works closely with a number of sponsors such as UBS, Mercedes and Heineken. |
55. André Calantzopoulos | CEO, Philip Morris International (PMI)
| Position last year: 52 |
| Age: 61 |
| Bio: André worked as a design engineer in the auto- motive industry before joining PMI at 28 years old. PMI reputedly put €100m into Scuderia Ferrari every year. It’s definitely a brave decision since be- fore 2019 they were the only tobacco company in Formula 1. |
56. Datuk Wan Zulkiflee | Chief Executive Officer of Petronas
| Position last year: 53 |
| Age: 58 |
| Bio: His company is the title Partner of Mercedes AMG Petronas in an age with a reducing amount of Title Partners. Wan Zulkiflee’s influence in the sport has however reduced some- what since the Malaysian Grand Prix has been removed from the calendar. |
57. Al Tareq Al Ameri | CEO, Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management (ADMM)
| Position last year: 54 |
| Age: 39 |
| Bio: Abu Dhabi, being the last race of the year, has be- come one of the must-see events of the calendar. ADMM have spent more on this circuit than any other country which and as such delivers a real spectacle for the fans! |
58. Ian Holmes | Global Director of Media Rights, FOM
| Position last year: 56 |
| Age: 52 |
| Bio: Ian plays a vital role at Formula One Management. He’s the key person for all broadcasters, and has helped negotiate the majority of TV deals to date. This has delivered a substantial amount of revenue to the sport. |
59. Nathalie Maillet Dubois | CEO, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
| Position last year: New to the list |
| Age: 49 |
| Bio: CEO of one of the iconic F1 circuits. Spa became permanent in its current format a few years ago now, Spa-Francorchamps is today a real hub of tourist attractions and sporting events which welcomes the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium. |
60. Bernie Ecclestone | Chairman Emeritus of Formula 1
| Position last year: 59 |
| Age: 88 |
| Bio: Dropped significantly from the first position in 2017, Bernie Ecclestone is still an influencer, but his power has significantly reduced since Liberty Media took over and he is no longer involved in any of the “deals” he became famous for. |
61. Michael Latifi | Owner of Sofina Foods, investor in McLaren
| Position last year: New to the list |
| Age: 62 |
| Bio: An investment of over £200 million was made by Nidala (BVI) Limited, which is controlled by Latifi, whose son was a Force India Formula 1 test driver as well as a Formula 2 race-winner, and now is Williams’ test and reserve driver. |
62. Fernando Haddad | Former Mayor of Sao Paulo
| Position last year: 60 |
| Age: 56 |
| Bio: Fernando is a key player in the renewal of the Brazilian Grand Prix which has been extended until 2022. |
63. Kimi Räikkönen | Driver, Alfa Romeo Racing
| Position last year: 61 |
| Age: 39 |
| Bio: Kimi, now one of the oldest drivers in Formula 1, is surely unique in many ways, but his talent is undeniable. Moved in 2019 to Alfa Romeo Racing from Scuderia Ferrari. |
64. Zsolt Gyulay | President and CEO of Hungaroring
| Position last year: 63 |
| Age: 54 |
| Bio: One of the races that’s a real hidden gem. Not the most popular of all the Grands Prix, but Zsolt’s team do a fantastic job to deliver an amazing event in beautiful Budapest. |
65. Hermann Tilke | Director, Tilke GmbH
| Position last year: 64 |
| Age: 64 |
| Bio: Still the most popular choice of designer for new Formula 1 circuits, Tilke has created some of the world’s most iconic tracks. |
66. Adrian Newey | Chief Technical Officer, Red Bull Racing
| Position last year: 65 |
| Age: 60 |
| Bio: Adrian is probably less involved today than he’s ever been as he concentrates on other projects, however he’s still a legendary, respected figure in the sport of Formula 1. |
67. Ellie Norman | Director of Marketing, Formula 1
| Position last year: 66 |
| Age: 38 |
| Bio: Ellie heads up brand marketing for Formula 1. She joined Formula 1 last year, coming from Virgin Media where she was Head of Advertising and Sponsorship. |
68. Sheikh Salman | CEO, Bahrain International Circuit
| Position last year: 67 |
| Age: 49 |
| Bio: Working hand in hand with the Crown Prince to deliver a great event in Bahrain, Sheikh Salman is a true motorsport business expert. |
69. Frank Arthofer | Head of Digital and New Business, Formula 1
| Position last year: 68 |
| Age: 37 |
| Bio: Coming from the Boston Consulting Group and prior to that, Disney and ESPN Networks, Frank has taken a lead role in transforming Formula 1’s digital offering. He’s done a great job to date which has resulted in Formula 1 becoming the fastest growing digital platform of any global sport. |
70. Mike Zoi | Owner of Motorsport Network
| Position last year: New to the list |
| Age: 52 |
| Bio: Mike owns news websites, resource and e-commerce sites, merchandise companies, and even model making companies, making him a big player in Formula 1 across the globe. |
71. Alejandro Agag | CEO, Formula E
| Position last year: 70 |
| Age: 47 |
| Bio: Alejandro has been doing an incredible job growing Formula E. Whilst he continually says “Formula E is not in competition to Formula 1”, you can’t help but think he has his eye on taking a senior position in the sport, which you must think Liberty Media would be interested in. |
72. Daniel Ricciardo | Driver, Renault Sport F1 Team
| Position last year: 71 |
| Age: 29 |
| Bio: Definitely one of the most liked and talented drivers our there, Daniel is no longer a newbie of Formula 1. He entered Formula 1 as a test driver for Scuderia Toro Rosso and made his debut at the 2011 British Grand Prix with the HRT team as part of a deal with Red Bull. |
73. Rob Thomas | COO, Mercedes AMG Petronas
| Position last year: 78 |
| Age: 51 |
| Bio: Rob is part of the management team that provides guidance on all business matters for the Mercedes AMG Petronas team. |
74. Barney Francis | Managing Director, Sky Sports
| Position last year: 79 |
| Age: 47 |
| Bio: Two time FIA broadcaster of the year, who has secured exclusive TV rights from 2019 in the UK. Sky are really leading the charge in terms of TV coverage in F1. |
75. Martin Brundle | Expert Analyst at Sky Sports
| Position last year: 85 |
| Age: 59 |
| Bio: Martin is an ex-Formula 1 driver and one of the most respected journalists out there. |
76. Luca Colajanni | Head of Motorsport Press Office, Formula 1
| Position last year: New to the list |
| Age: 55 |
| Bio: Colajanni spent over two decades at Ferrari be- fore some short stints at Marussia F1 Team and Formula E. He then joined the FIA for two years before accepting the role to lead the Press Office at Formula 1 |
77. Gil de Ferran | Sporting Director, McLaren
| Position last year: New to the list |
| Age: 52 |
| Bio: Ex-driver, Brazilin born, Gil de Ferran worked his way up the British single-seater ladder culminating in the British Formula 3 crown, De Ferran went to IndyCar, where he earned Rookie of the Year in 1995. He won the IndyCar Title in 2000 and 2001. In 2017 he worked with McLaren and Fernando Alonso as the team made a return to Indy 500. In July 2018, he was appointed Sporting Director. |
78. Laurence Anthony | Chief Counsel Commercial, Formula 1
| Position last year: New to the list |
| Age: 32 |
| Bio: Laurence is one of the few which has survived the Bernie Ecclestone days. He has since been promoted and is responsible for all matters across Formula 1’s commercial operations including the media rights, sponsorship, brand licensing and digital media revenue streams. |
79. Roberto Boccafogli | Head of F1 Marketing and Media Relations at Pirelli Tyres SpA
| Position last year: 76 |
| Age: 58 |
| Bio: Roberto leads the activation for Pirelli in Formula 1. He is the key point of contact for the media, their hospitality and their most recent initiative, hot laps. |
80. Azad Rahimov | Minister of Youth and Sport, Azerbaijan
| Position last year: 77 |
| Age: 54 |
| Bio: Azad is the person behind the newest race on the Formula 1 calendar. Azerbaijan has a clear mandate to put the country on the worldwide map. |
81. Lucia Pennesi | Commercial and Marketing Director, Ferrari Gestione Sportiva
| Position last year: 78 |
| Age: 48 |
| Bio: Responsible for the Scuderia Ferrari marketing team, she has the ear of Sergio Marchionne and so is highly influential within the team. |
82. Elena Zaritskaya | CEO, NPJSC Centre Omega, owner of Sochi Autodrom
| Position last year: 79 |
| Age: 43 |
| Bio: Elena has been in charge of the Russian Grand Prix since 2016. That’s a huge responsibility given how close Putin stays to this race. |
83. James Allen | President EMEA, Motorsport Network
| Position last year: 80 |
| Age: 52 |
| Bio: Arguably the most respected business journalist in the sport who has recently been asked to lead the Motorsport Network |
84. Anthony Indaimo | Partner, Withers Worldwide
| Position last year: New to the list |
| Age: 55 |
| Bio: Indaimo focuses on Formula 1 at Withers Worldwide. Anthony has assisted numerous high profile entrepreneurs and teams on a variety of corporate, M&A and commercial matters, including structuring investments, expansion into emerging markets and access to capital. Indiamo is a trusted advisor to teams, sponsors, investors, sports management agents and drivers. |
85. David Webb | CEO, CSM Brands
| Position last year: 81 |
| Age: 55 |
| Bio: David has taken over from the founder Zak Brown who is now at McLaren. CSM in the form of JMI has helped bring many brands into the sport over the years. |
86. Kate Beavan | Head of Hospitality, Experiences and Packages, FOM
| Position last year: 82 |
| Age: 51 |
| Bio: Recently promoted to this new position, Kate now has responsibility of the Paddock Club Hospitality and the F1 Experiences. |
87. Goh Choon Phong | Chief Executive Officer of Singapore Airlines
| Position last year: 84 |
| Age: 55 |
| Bio: Sponsor of the Singapore Grand Prix and Alfa Romeo Racing, Singapore Airlines is rumoured to be looking at bigger opportunities within the sport. |
88. Sir Patrick Head | Co-Founder, Williams Rokit Racing
| Position last year: 85 |
| Age: 72 |
| Bio: Partner to Sir Frank Williams, Patrick has been knighted for his services and innovations in motorsport. |
89. Bob Dudley | Chief Executive of BP
| Position last year: 86 |
| Age: 63 |
| Bio: BP Castrol was new to the sport in 2017, now having a significant (R&D + cash) investment with Renault, and formerly McLaren. |
90. Rob Marshall | Chief Engineering Officer, Red Bull Racing
| Position last year: 88 |
| Age: 51 |
| Bio: Despite being somewhat in Newey’s shadow, Rob is a huge talent while leading the engineering team on a day-to-day basis. |
91. Keith Bruce | President of QuintEvents International
| Position last year: New to the list |
| Age: 53 |
| Bio: A veteran of the sports and event industry, Keith is leading the F1 Experiences organisation serving all Formula 1 events across the globe. |
92. Scott Young | Sky’s Head of Formula 1
| Position last year: 99 |
| Age: 52 |
| Bio: Scott’s broadcasting career spans well over three decades, concentrating on motorsport TV production from the late 1990s. Sky are the exclusive rights holders in the UK from next year, with their coverage featured in 61 countries around the world. |
93. James Key | Technical Director, McLaren
| Position last year: 91 |
| Age: 47 |
| Bio: He joined Sauber in 2010, moved on to Ferrari in 2012, and on 26 July 2018, McLaren confirmed that Key had agreed to become technical director of the team, replacing the ousted Tim Goss. |
94. Rob Smedley | Expert Technical Consult- ant, Formula 1
| Position last year: 92 |
| Age: 45 |
| Bio: Former Williams and Ferrari engineer Rob Smedley now serves as an expert technical consultant with Formula 1. Smedley is best known for working with Felipe Massa during his stints at Ferrari and most recently Williams. He left Williams. |
95. Damon Hill | Presenter, former Formula 1 driver
| Position last year: 93 |
| Age: 58 |
| Bio: Sky Sports TV presenter just started the Professional Racing Drivers Association for the athletes involved similar to other sports. He has just signed with Mark Blundell Partners to manage him. |
96. Chloe Targett-Adams | Director of Promoters and Business Relations at Formula 1
| Position last year: 95 |
| Age: 37 |
| Bio: Chloe has been with FOM since 2009 but has recently been promoted and reports to Sean Bratches. Chloe could be playing a much more hands-on role with promoters, particularly the ones of new venues. |
97. Enrico Zanarini | Founder, MSM Group
| Position last year: 98 |
| Age: 66 |
| Bio: A recognised and respected as a specialist in driver management and sponsorship acquisition. Enrico’s company has recently signed LENOVO to become their agency in Formula 1. MSM also works with Alfa Romeo Racing for sponsorship acquisitions. |
98. Katja Heim | Head of KHP Consulting, COO of Circuit of the Americas
| Position last year: 96 |
| Age: 59 |
| Bio: COTA has a much stronger presence since Katja’s arrival in 2016, based on her 30-year experience advising circuits around the world. She still acts as the CEO of KHP Consulting. |
99. Luke Organ | Chief Commercial Officer, Right Formula
| New to the list |
| Age: 34 |
| Bio: Luke joined Right Formula at the beginning of 2019 following stints at Aston Villa Football Club, Wasps Rugby Club, Lotus F1 Team and the WTA. His strategic skill set will add great value to Right Formula. |
100. Andy Palmer | Chairman of Aston Martin
| New to the list |
| Age: 55 |
| Bio: Prior to joining Aston Martini n 2014, Andy Palmer held the post of Chief Planning Officer at Nissan Motor Co and was a member of the Nissan Executive Committee. He held a number of senior roles at Nissan over 23 years, including in corporate planning, product planning, marketing, sales & IT leadership and was Chair- man of their luxury marque Infiniti from 2011 onwards. |