After announcing American Express as the Americas payments partner with Formula 1 ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix last October, the company has announced that its gone all-in with its Formula 1 ties in a new multiyear global partnership.
Amex has become an official partner for the Formula 1 global calendar encompassing the regions of Australia, Asia, Europe, the Americas and the Middle East. Since its announcement last year, the company has activated in Montreal, Austin, Mexico City, São Paulo and Las Vegas.
The new global partnership is building on this momentum over the past year after seeing the affinity from its fastest-growing customer base of Millennials and Generation Z — especially given the 300 million fans in these segments, Amex said. This partnership deal adds to American Express’ expansive sports portfolio including tennis, golf, basketball and more.
“American Express has been a fantastic partner to Formula 1 in the Americas and as a supporter of F1 Academy, and I’m delighted that they have chosen to expand their relationship with us to become an official partner,” said Emily Prazer, chief commercial officer at Formula 1. “We look forward to working with Amex to enhance the experience of card members at our races and showcasing Amex perks to our existing fans everywhere we race.”
American Express activation with its race commentary radios at this year’s 2024 Austin Grand Prix.
Jenna Fernandez/American Express
As part of this expansion, Amex will increase its presence from five to 20 races for the 2025 season; work with Formula 1 to create fan experiences at select Formula 1 Grands Prix throughout the year, and bring more access and perks to card members with Amex presale tickets, the Paddock Club and Grandstand Tickets.
One of the major perks cardmembers can enjoy at this week’s upcoming Mexico Grand Prix is access to Amex’s race radios, a favorite amongst fans when rolled out in Las Vegas last year and a cult favorite amongst U.S. Open and tennis fans to hear live commentary while watching sports in-person.
F1 Academy will also continue to be a high priority for the company as they continue to support women on and off the track as one of the early sponsors of the all-women racing series throughout 2024 and into the future.
“We are thrilled to expand our relationship with Formula 1, building on the strong momentum of the sponsorship in the Americas over the past year,” said Elizabeth Rutledge, chief marketing officer at American Express. “This demonstrates yet another way we are continuously enhancing the value of American Express membership for card members around the world.”
