Visit F1.com in the build-up to certain grands prix and you will encounter a content series titled ‘The Risk Perspective’ looking ahead to the race. This previews the event through the prism of risk - addressing factors such as strategy and set-up - and is an example of sponsor activation that genuinely connects the product to Formula 1.

It’s part of F1’s recently announced multi-year deal with Marsh to become its first ‘official risk partner and official insurance brokering partner’. To many, insurance brokering and risk management is far from the most dynamic or exciting industry, meaning ‘The Risk Perspective’ series is a little more innovative than simply putting the name to something that will attract eyeballs. This unusually good fit between sponsor and content concept hints at one of Marsh’s objectives.

“Well, we are quite excited about the work we do,” said John Q Doyle, president and CEO of Marsh, when asked by The Race whether one of the appeals of F1 was to connect an industry that might be perceived as staid to the dynamism of F1. “But this is a great way for us to showcase how important the work that we do is. “Really, no investment happens without advisory work around risk, sometimes risk financing behind it, so the work we do really underpins the economy all over the world. So while it may be underappreciated by some, it is certainly appreciated by us.”

“But it is a great time for us to showcase what it is we do and how important it is, not just to businesses, but to governments and to communities all over the world. We really don't just make companies thrive, we make economies and society a better place too.”Inevitably, there’s more to this partnership, with last month’s announcement referring to “prominent trackside branding and the ability to create curated guest experiences at races around the world”. As F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says, the Marsh deal is a “sign that Formula 1 is attractive to new categories [of business], new products that before were not even thinking about Formula 1”. That’s part of the Liberty Media success story commercially. 

“We love the brand of F1, the globality of it,” said Doyle. “It’s really a cultural phenomenon all over the world, the growth of the sport. And what you all stand for, we see a lot of parallels from our company, data, insights, the competitive spirit of the racing, managing risk. And from my point of view, I see a relentless pursuit of excellence from F1, and that's how I want Marsh to operate, and that's what we aspire to be.

“It's as complex a macro-operating environment as I've experienced in my career. And so, partnering with F1 is a great way for us to showcase some of the great work that we do on behalf of our clients.”

It is significant that Marsh, the new brand name adopted by Marsh McLennan from January 2026 as part of a wider staged consolidation of its businesses, chose F1 for what it calls its first enterprise-wide global sports partnership. So, too, is the fact it joined the burgeoning ranks of F1 partners over and above either another sport or linking up directly with one of the 11 F1 teams.

“We considered a wide range of possibilities, not just with F1 but other sporting events and other types of sponsorships as well,” said Doyle when asked by The Race about the possibility of a team partnership and what drove the decision. “But we felt like, at the end of the day, all of those attributes, and the community that F1 is, was most attractive for us.”

While ‘The Risk Perspective’ is just a small part of the overall deal, which will have significant B2B benefits in particular with using the F1 environment to connect with clients and decision makers, it’s a B2C element that aimed at tapping into F1’s many fans. And from F1’s perspective, it also demonstrates what it can offer.

“We don’t have to invent the wheel, but we need to make sure that we are connected to what we are really as a product, as a sport,” said Domenicali. “We need to take on so many new customers today and so many new fans that you need to be supportive, to speak the language that you need to be connected with.”