Formula One’s rapid growth in the United States over the past few years might make it challenging for even Taylor Swift to secure a paddock pass nowadays.
I promise this all relates to football, but first, bear with me. As F1 heads back to the United States for its second of three stateside races this weekend, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said as much about Swift this week, juxtaposing the current state of the sport with where it was only seven years ago, when a Swift concert was needed to attract American visitors to Austin, Texas’ Circuit of the Americas.
These days, the circuit known as COTA has no problem with attracting fans. Judging by Tuesday’s news, F1 isn’t struggling to draw high-profile investors, either. Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are leading a new group of investors strategically pouring money into Alpine F1, one of 10 teams participating in the global pinnacle of motorsport.
Mahomes explained his decision to spend some cash on an investment that sure seems like a wise one, judging by F1’s recent explosion in popularity, which was largely driven by Netflix’s incredibly successful Drive to Survive docuseries — one that inspired Mahomes to participate in the debut season of Netflix’s similar NFL-focused docuseries, Quarterback.
“I think everybody can see the appeal,” Mahomes said Wednesday. “I’ve been able to get to a couple races now, seeing the environment, and then obviously watching the (Formula 1:) Drive to Survive on Netflix you see how competitive it is.
Whenever there’s a chance to be involved, you should know that I’m extremely competitive. I’m hopeful that it will lead to amazing opportunities and allow us to participate in some of those races and have a vested interest.
The group includes elite pro golfer Rory McIlroy, former heavyweight champion boxer Anthony Joshua and star soccer player Trent Alexander-Arnold, who plays for Liverpool F.C. of the Premier League.
The investment group got involved via Otro Capital, a private company that had earlier partnered with several other firms to acquire a 24 percent share in Alpine F1 in June. Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, actors who also notably bought Wrexham A.F.C. soccer club, were part of the initial investor group.
They have now added two of the NFL’s biggest stars, who are also members of the reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs.
F1 enthusiasts may understandably question why top-notch football talents would put their money into Alpine F1, a team that has not been a serious contender for the constructors’ championship for a while. As Mahomes clarified, his choice was less about the possibility of winning a title and more about participating in a sport that consistently draws in new fans.
“When asked if he had the opportunity to choose an F1 team, Mahomes stated, ‘No. I’m not sure if I had options.’ He expressed his enthusiasm for the opportunity presented to him, saying, ‘They approached us with the opportunity and I seized it. I’m looking forward to it, especially with Trav on board. It would be exciting to attend some of the events, and hopefully visit places beyond Miami. It would be fantastic to explore other parts of the world.'”
Alpine F1, the sports subsidiary of automaker Renault, started racing under its new name in 2021, after spending twenty years as Renault. Since embarking on their Alpine era, they have won a single race, secured fourth place in the constructors’ championship in 2022, and are projected to finish in sixth place in 2023.
Mahomes has invested in several professional sports organizations before Alpine. He and his wife, Brittany, have ownership stakes in the Kansas City Current of the National Women’s Soccer League. They are part of a group dedicated to expanding soccer in Kansas City, spearheading the construction of the NWSL’s first purpose-built soccer stadium. Additionally, Mahomes holds minority stakes in the Kansas City Royals of the MLB and Sporting Kansas City of the MLS.
After receiving a raise via a revised contract that moved future money into earlier contract years (starting with 2023), Mahomes has some cash to spend. He’s not wasting time directing it toward prosperous ventures.
Mahomes expressed his interest in investing in professional sports clubs, stating, “Yes, I’m always exploring opportunities. Naturally, I can’t invest in the NFL while I’m still an active player, so I’m constantly looking out for prospects in other sports. It’s challenging to penetrate all sports sectors, like the NBA and others, but I’m always ready to seize an opportunity if it arises.”
The value of Mahomes’ and Kelce’s ownership stakes in Alpine are unknown, but at minimum, their financial commitments illustrate the growing importance of the sport on a global scale. We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention Kelce’s involvement with Swift, either, which has been a leading headline for weeks.
With Kelce now affiliated with Alpine, it’s assured that she can get a paddock pass anytime she wants. On the contrary, it might be more challenging for Mahomes to get the chance to drive an F1 car for a couple of laps for fun – assuming he can even squeeze into the cockpit.
“Whether that’s part of my contract or not, remains to be seen,” said Mahomes. “I’m aware that (Chiefs general manager Brett) Veach is quite an F1 enthusiast, so there’s a chance he might allow me to take a spin on the track at least once. However, considering the value of these cars, I’m not entirely sure if they would permit that.”
