Mics Out

For the first time ever, Nascar is racing on an active military base.  Yes, you read that right. There are few combinations that feel more quintessentially American. But how did this event come together? Amy Lupo, president of Nascar San Diego, jumps on the Mics Out podcast to discuss how the series is striking a balance between tradition and innovation ahead of the inaugural race at Naval Base Co...

Peter Kenyon has a track record of overseeing sponsorship growth for some of the biggest teams in soccer. Now, the former Manchester United and Chelsea chief executive is helping to transform the commercial fortunes of the Williams Formula 1 team. In this week's episode of Mics Out, Kenyon sits down with Cian Brittle to discuss his approach to rebuilding the team's sponsorship portfolio. W...

How do teams across the world operate in top-level motorsport? Talking at the BlackBook Motorsport Forum, outfits from the world of Formula 1, Nascar, Supercars and the World Endurance Championship answered that exact question. Moderated by Mics Out regular Tom Brown, hear from McLaren, 23XI Racing, Triple Eight and Team Jota on how these teams maximise their success off track.

The new Formula 1 regulations have caused excitement and controversy in equal measure. Should the increased number of overtakes be appreciated? Or are they too artificial to be enjoyed? To answer those questions and more, host Cian Brittle welcomed industry personalities on stage at the BlackBook Motorsport Forum for a special live edition of the Mics Out podcast. The session features Otmar Szafna...

F1 has confirmed this year’s Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix will not take place due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Both races were set to take place in April and, with no replacements lined up, there will now be a five-week gap in the Formula One schedule between visits to Japan on 29th March and Miami on 3rd May. But, outside of the loss of on-track action, this decision has s...

As MotoGP begins its first full season under Liberty Media ownership, questions remain around the future direction of the series. This week, Mics Out host Cian Brittle sits down with MotoGP's managing director of global marketing, Kelly Brittain, to find out how the championship wants to position itself. As Liberty continues to adopt a cautious approach to its new motorsport series, MotoGP man...

After Tyler Reddick won the Daytona 500 to kickstart another season, Mics Out picks out the key narratives set to dominate a season of new beginnings and unknowns in Nascar. How will permanent charters affect team values and investment moving forward? And will the absence of Steve Phelps have a long-term impact on the sport's direction? Listen out for the full discussion, as well as analysis o...

After Tyler Reddick won the Daytona 500 to kickstart another season, Mics Out picks out the key narratives set to dominate a season of new beginnings and unknowns in Nascar. How will permanent charters affect team values and investment moving forward? And will the absence of Steve Phelps have a long-term impact on the sport's direction? Listen out for the full discussion, as well as analysis o...

One month into the new year and Formula 1 has barely paused for breath on the commercial front. At the time of recording, 34 partnerships had been announced - a rate of more than one per day. But which team has cut through the noise to make the best impression so far? Cian and Tom review the sponsorship strategies of each team on the F1 grid and picks out the deals which have particularly caught t...

This month, Formula E headed to Mexico City for its best-attended event of the season, and Mics Out went along to witness it first hand. Across the weekend, Cian sits down with chief executive Jeff Dodds, chief championship officer Alberto Longo, and vice president of sustainability Julia Palle, to find out about how Formula E is setting itself up for the Gen4 era. Plus, hear from the team bosses...

As another year gets underway, the Mics Out team offer their predictions for the 2026 season. Who's winning their respective championships? Cian, Tom and Pete play Nostradamus for F1, Nascar, IndyCar, MotoGP and Formula E. Cian and Tom also offer in-depth Formula 1 predictions despite having no idea who will emerge on top in the new regulations - what could go wrong? Also, look out for a contr...

The Mics Out Christmas special is here as Cian Brittle and Tom Brown are joined by SportsPro's Steve McCaskill and Josh Sim for a chaotic end-of-year showdown. From F1 storylines and 2025 season drama to circuit-drawing challenges, buzzer rounds and bold predictions, the team battle through four quiz rounds to decide this year’s champion.

Jet lag won't stop Mics Out this week as the team reviews the Las Vegas Grand Prix while Cian adjusts to UK timings after a hectic weekend. At 26:07, we shift gears into an exclusive interview with Brian Herbst, chief media and revenue officer at Nascar, to review the first year of the series' new media rights deal. Listen out for insights into how the poor ratings on USA Network affected...

The Las Vegas Grand Prix has established itself as one of F1's most commercially impactful events after a polarising debut in 2023. Ahead of the third edition of the race, BlackBook Motorsport editor Cian Brittle sat down with Emily Prazer, chief commercial officer of Formula 1 and president of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, and Steve Hill, president and chief executive of the Las Vegas Convention...

Limiting the F1 star's influence to on-track success would not do justice to the impact of a generational athlete who has transcended motorsport. The Mics Out team unpacks the scale of Hamilton's off-track interests that have transformed him into a global superstar, while ex-McLaren comms chief Matt Bishop offers his thoughts on how the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix elevated Hamilton's pro...

The long-rumoured US TV rights deal between Formula 1 and Apple has finally been confirmed, in what is a milestone moment in F1's continuing strategy to grow in the United States.  The Mics Out team analyses what the deal means for Formula 1, for Apple, and for US motorsport fans, whilst also reflecting on the step change it represents in the US sports broadcasting market.  Elsewhere, there&#3...

After a hiatus of a year, Extreme E is returning to action in a new hydrogen-powered format: Extreme H. The Extreme E World Cup will take place in Qiddiya City, Saudi Arabia, from 9th to 11th October, and the series' managing director Ali Russell sits down with Cian Brittle to discuss the new series. In this exclusive interview, Russell reflects on the final chapter of Extreme E and explains h...

Audi and Adidas seems like a match made in heaven, but why has the famous manufacturer only announced three major partners ahead of its F1 debut? The Mics Out team analyses the unique commercial strategy that Audi hopes will promote a premium and exclusive look to the team's car, something that will leave it looking much sparser than its rivals. Elsewhere, there's discussion around the future of A...

Another IndyCar season is in the books, and yet anothertitle has been added to Alex Palou’s trophy cabinet. This year’s ascent to championship glory may have seemed like a foregone conclusion for much of the season, but four titles in five years is a phenomenal achievement that underlines the Spaniard as one of motorsport’s preeminent talents. Cian & Tom look back over the season's major talki...

As the summer break continues to drag, the Mics Out team have decided to look back over the F1 season so far and give out some awards. But first, there's discussions around the latest happenings in Nascar, IndyCar, and MotoGP, as well as a look at the off-track talking points from a busy year in Formula One. After that, dig into the Mics Out mid-season awards, with everything from most underra...

Fox is not just IndyCar's TV partner anymore: it is now a part-owner of the series. Now that the media company owns a one-third stake in IndyCar, Cian and Tom dissect what this actually means for the motorsport series. Elsewhere, the team take a look at the latest rumours around next season's Nascar schedule, as Mexico City looks set to be dropped for 2026. Also, listen out for the facts around As...

Liberty Media's long-awaited acquisition of MotoGP for €4.2 billion (US$4.9 billion) has now been approved, so what's next for the championship? This week, Mics Out host Cian Brittle sit down with Dan Rossomondo, chief commercial officer of MotoGP rights holder Dorna Sports, to find out about how this landmark moment is set to evolve the series moving forward. Listen out for why Marc Marqu...

It was an eventful weekend at the British Grand Prix and the Mics Out team was there to see it all. First up, Cian, Pete & Tom check in from the BlackBook Motorsport Summer Reception, courtesy of the Pop-Up Hotel. Then it's time for race day. Cian sits down with Jefferson Slack, Jean English, and Sean Harrington to discuss Aston Martin F1 Team's commercial strategy and how the outfit p...

The Mics Out team of Cian, Pete & Tom sit down to discuss the recent news of Luca de Meo's departure as CEO of Renault Group. Having had a huge influence over the direction of the Alpine F1 Team, what does this mean for the future at Enstone? The team break down the key decisions from a tumultuous few years. Plus, listen out for analysis of recently announced (and unannounced) circuit cont...

This week, the Mics Out team reconvene ahead of this weekend's 24 Hours of Le Mans to preview one of motorsport's most famous races. Off the back of two quiz losses, Tom takes control of the third Mics Out quiz as Cian and Pete compete to see who knows the most about the World Endurance Championship's landmark event. Meanwhile, Nascar makes history with its first points-paying race out...