In this episode of the Business of Speed, Lali and Vincenzo sit down with Jeff Dodds, the CEO of Formula E, as he approaches his third year leading the electric racing series. Transitioning from a massive career in telecom and media (Virgin Media O2) and automotive (Honda, Volvo), Jeff discusses how Formula E is positioning itself not just as a sport, but as a disruptive entertainment property focused on sustainability and digital growth.
From the controversial "noise" of electric cars to the groundbreaking performance of the upcoming Gen 4 vehicle, Jeff offers a candid look at how Formula E plans to become the fastest motorsport in the world and overtake MotoGP in popularity by 2030.
Key Topics Discussed:
In this episode of the Business of Speed podcast, we sit down with IndyCar legend, Indy 500 winner, and current Arrow McLaren Sporting Director, @TonyKanaan .
From his early days growing up in Brazil to his legendary rivalry and friendship with @H3lioOfficial , TK opens up about the defining moments of his life. He shares the incredible story of turning down a guaranteed million-dollar contract with Audi to chase the American dream, the emotional promise he made to his father, and the grit it took to finally win the Indy 500 in 2013.
Tony also discusses his transition from the cockpit to the pit wall, giving us an insider look at his role running @ArrowMcLaren , the challenges of building a winning culture, and why he believes the future of @indycar is brighter than ever with the new Fox Sports partnership. @INDYCARonFOX
Whether you're a die-hard racing fan or interested in the business of sports leadership, this conversation is packed with insights.
Key Topics Discussed:
The Million-Dollar Gamble: Why Tony turned down a house, a car, and a salary to race for free in the US.
Rivalry & Brotherhood: The origin story of his friendship with Helio Castroneves.
The 2013 Indy 500: Breaking the "bad luck" curse with KV Racing.
Leadership: How Tony is transforming the culture at Arrow McLaren.
The Greatest: Who Tony thinks is the most naturally gifted driver he ever raced against.
Vincenzo and Lali sit down for a casual, honest warm-up chat before F1 takes over Las Vegas. They also run through the fan experience around the Strip: free events, activations, watch parties, and Lali’s upcoming interview with Romain Grosjean. It’s not a complete guide to Vegas, just an honest conversation about what they’re looking forward to, what first-timers should keep in mind, and why Vegas week hits differently.
Jarno Zaffelli sculpts racetracks.
The founder of Dromo Circuit Design, the man behind Zandvoort’s revival and Silverstone’s refinements, now turns his eye to Madrid.
In this episode of Business of Speed, Vincenzo Landino and co-host Lali Michelsen sit down with the Italian designer redefining what “track design” means in Formula 1.
Zaffelli explains why Madring, the new F1 circuit in Madrid is a living organism: flowing, breathing, and built with emotion as much as engineering.
They explore:
James Hinchcliffe gets brutally honest about the psychology that separates race car drivers from normal humans—and why they lack the self-preservation gene most people are born with.
In this episode, Hinch reveals:
Plus: Hinch weighs in on the tightest F1 championship battle in years and shares his broadcasting secrets for managing the insane IndyCar/F1 travel schedule.
Former McLaren mechanic Marc Priestley—better known as "F1 Elvis"—joins us to talk about his brand new book Pit Lane Lessons: What F1 Can Teach You About Work and Life.
In this episode, Marc reveals the surprising origin story behind his legendary nickname, takes us inside McLaren's obsessive culture of excellence during the championship-winning years, and explains how those pit-lane principles translate into business success today. We discuss the delicate balance between obsessive attention to detail and maintaining team morale, the parallels between McLaren's 2007 and 2024 seasons, and what it was really like working alongside Lewis Hamilton during his first championship run.
Marc also shares his moment of clarity that launched his second career, why he thinks Lando Norris might win the 2024 championship (and why he'd rather be in Max Verstappen's seat), and what makes Austin, Texas, one of the best fan experiences in Formula 1.
Whether you're an F1 fanatic or a business leader looking for competitive advantages, this conversation is packed with insights from someone who's lived in both worlds at the highest level.
He built endurance athletes, powered triathlon empires, and helped brands like Pepsi and Samsung enter the world of speed.
Now Lee Zohlman—the man behind Formula E’s Americas partnerships—joins Vincenzo Landino and Lali Michelsen to talk about:
What happens when someone decides to take on a system they know is rigged?
In this episode of The Business of Speed, we sit down with Laura Villars — a professional driver who made headlines for trying to run for FIA President... even though she knew her name could never appear on the ballot.
Laura opens up about what she discovered behind the scenes of motorsport’s most powerful organization, how the rules are designed to keep outsiders out, and why she still believes change has to start from within.
This conversation dives into:
If you’ve ever felt like the system was stacked against you — this story will resonate deeply.
🎧 Listen to more episodes of The Business of Speed
A single race hosting fee can hit $70 MILLION—and that's before they even sell a single ticket. The real challenge for any track promoter? It’s absorbing the massive fixed liability and turning a one-time race into a year-round, profitable business.
The truth is, the profit isn't in the Grandstands, it's with the executives in the Suites. Premium hospitality is the only sustainable margin driver.
We're putting the circuit business on the lift and exposing the financial engine behind every major racing series, from F1 to IndyCar, using leverage, real estate, and B2B cash flow to survive.
🏁 On This Episode of Business of Speed:
00:00 The $70M Fixed Cost: Your Entry Ticket to Global Racing
04:44 The Ultimate Leverage: Why a Racetrack is an Infrastructure Asset
10:40 The Profit Driver: Why Luxury Suites Fund Your Favorite Race
18:13 Ghost Tracks of Europe: The Need for Year-Round B2B Income
21:30 The Subsidy Factor: How Cities Use Tax Dollars for PR (Vegas vs. Monaco)
27:39 The 3 Non-Negotiables for Track Sustainability Checklist
29:00 Real Estate Leverage: Inside the T11 "Car Condos" at COTA
This episode is where Lali and Vincenzo lay out their manifesto, explaining what they believe is changing and what is happening in the world of racing. They discuss what their new venture, Business of Speed, is offering to inquiring minds.
A key part of their manifesto is making B2B cool, which they argue is a large part of motorsport sponsorship (such as with Oracle, AWS, and Arrow Electronics). They reject the "old model" of sponsorship as just signage or a "logo slap," calling it expensive and often an "ego play". They argue that today's advantage is "velocity," requiring brands, rights holders, and the C-suite to move faster and connect deeper with the fans.
They reject "passive deals" tied to vanity metrics, which they believe lack real-world operational impact, fan engagement, or cultural leverage. Furthermore, they reject the "black box" idea that motorsports partnerships are so complex that the C-suite cannot grasp them, which leads to underinvestment and missed opportunities. They emphasize that sponsorship is now a partnership, requiring integration into the culture of speed and "getting your hands dirty".
The episode details their six core mechanisms of velocity, which are how they execute their model to create a competitive advantage:
C-Suite Education: Providing insider briefings and custom intelligence reports to ensure leadership understands and can drive the strategy of the partnership.
Partnership Messaging (Narrative Engine): Crafting a humanizing story or "narrative" behind the partnership to create clarity and engage an audience that may not know who the sponsor is or why they are involved.
Content Creation (Content Flywheel): Finding where audiences live and creating authentic content (not just high production value) to build brand equity and drive measurable actions, especially in the B2B world.
Activations: Executing well-done, "laser-focused activations" that work and are not always on the circuit.
Event Hosting: Leveraging their personalities and knowledge as hosts to facilitate insider-led events and deepen key client and partner relationships.
Employee Engagement: Demystifying motorsports (through things like "lunch and learns") to get employees on board, enabling them to take pride and excitement in the partnership for a full activation.
Vincenzo Landino, founder of the six-year-old Business of Speed newsletter, and legendary Creative Director Lali Michelsen, define the DNA of your new essential motorsport briefing.
Discover how a LinkedIn video of a champagne saber led to the formation of a strategic content consultancy and media empire built on one core premise: Speed is the only sustainable competitive advantage.
We unpack: