An Introduction to Motorsport - Its Future, Past and Present

Motorsport is a large umbrella term for all the various forms of sports relating to engine powered vehicles, ranging from: motorcycle, open-wheel, stock-car, truck, rally, drift, prototype racing and much more. Oftentimes when talking about motorsport we are talking about the premier forms of racing of each type, such as the pinnacle of open-wheel racing Formula 1 or MotoGP in terms of motorcycle racing. That being said, motorsport begins from the basics of one type of racing: Kart racing. Go-karting is often the first-step drivers take in becoming professional drivers, starting off even at the young age of 8. 

Motorsport is a lifestyle many live, hoping to make it to the big leagues of their aspirations, be it offroad racing or hypercar racing, all drivers start somewhere. While we don’t always see drivers starting with karting, it is usually the first stepping stone to truly harnessing the sport.

Motorsport is often raced on dedicated race tracks, routes or predetermined paths and obstacles. Some forms of racing deal with the more technical aspects, such as offroad, drift, and rally, as they are often not done on traditional race tracks. While other forms, like the highly popular NASCAR and Formula 1 series, race on tracks purpose built for their respective class. 

Racing of all kinds is an international ordeal, some even call the racing series traveling circuses, constantly putting on a show for hundreds of thousands of people all across the world from Canada to Monaco to South Africa. 

Today, motorsport as a whole seems to be passing through an explosion of interest, with new fans entering the sport to compete, organize, and watch these events. This is most certainly accredited to the interest of long-form documentary or fictional media pieces from videos to blockbuster films and Netflix Shows. 

This all started in around 2017 when Formula 1, a racing series, sold a majority share of its parent company to a corporation by the name of Liberty Media. This transformed not just F1, but also the entire motorsport landscape. As soon as Liberty got its hands on F1 we saw more deals with Western and American brands sponsoring the sport, the creation of Drive To Survive, the Netflix Original, talks of new F1 races in Texas, Florida, Nevada, and more. It is apparent that all of this was in the grand master plan of creating a new generation as a market for racing and selling the idea to Western audiences. 

This caused a chain reaction; indirectly or directly, of creating a fanbase for racing documentaries, stories, experiences, events and more. This initial boom of F1 interest, coupled with a climax of other motorsports elevated the racing environment to new heights. And, today we find ourselves with hundreds of millions of fans, new (American) teams in the famously European sport, rising interest and billions poured into the industry every season.

The birth of motorsport traces its roots in European history, specifically French and British events pioneering the soon-to-be sport. Experts widely agree that the first motorsport events from the 1890s were the true start of the sport. Following the first few races within France and England, we find the 1900s spurring the start of the organized and professional motorsport with the FIA or the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, the official governing body of all motorsport, the introduction to the Olympics, and the first dedicated motor racing track. All these factors created the foundation for the world's fastest moving sport. 

The drivers of today all helped contribute to the rise of their sporting niche, dedicating their lives to their passions. We often hear stories of the world's premier drivers like Lewis Hamilton, Bubba Wallace, Stoffel Vandoorne, growing up with a passion for driving only to be limited either due to not having enough funds or representation (discrimination). In the case of Lewis Hamilton, his father had to sell their house and give up hundreds of thousands of dollars to get Hamilton to become one of the greatest of all time. And, while we do have pay-drivers (drivers who pay teams to maintain a seat in a series, often coming in the form of driver-loyal sponsorships) any form of motorsport is an expensive venture and rarely do the right talent, investment, training, and opportunity align for a new driver to reign champion. 

The constantly evolving world of the sport makes for a never faltering drama filled year after year. This racing season alone we saw actors among the likes of Ryan Reynolds and Brad Pitt making not only appearances, but investments and projects in racing. Brad Pitt is actually in the process of filming a new Apple TV+ show revolving around fictional characters and their journey into F1, with Brad Pitt undergoing real F1 training and racing experiences alongside the regular Grand Prix races we normally see. 

Motorsport is an ever changing atmosphere with something for everyone with its strategy, drama, media, events, fanfare, and community. Drivers culminating from all corners of the globe to get faster and faster times, overtaking opponents and setting new records. With motorsport becoming more accessible, the sport is and has been growing like none other. The principles of dedication deeply ingrained in motorsport foster a habitat for new ideas and innovation. Motorsport is more than racing; it's a lifestyle.