News Summary
- Chase Carey says MotoGP cannot simply reproduce Formula 1’s Drive to Survive strategy despite Liberty Media’s successful use of documentaries and digital platforms.
- The Liberty Media director wants MotoGP to develop its own personalities, content formats and commercial opportunities, particularly in the United States.
- Liberty acquired control of MotoGP in 2025 and is seeking to expand the championship’s international reach without abandoning its identity.
Liberty Media director Chase Carey has warned against copying Formula 1’s Drive to Survive strategy for MotoGP, arguing that the motorcycle world championship needs to identify its own opportunities to reach new audiences.
Speaking during Autosport Business Exchange conference in New York, the former Formula 1 CEO discussed the opportunities and challenges facing MotoGP following Liberty Media’s acquisition of a controlling stake in its commercial rights business.
Carey was one of the key figures in Formula 1’s commercial transformation after Liberty acquired the championship in 2017. During his tenure as CEO, the sport expanded its digital presence and launched the Netflix documentary series Formula 1: Drive to Survive, which debuted in 2019.
The series helped introduce Formula 1’s drivers, teams and personalities to audiences who had not previously followed the championship.
However, Carey believes attempting to reproduce that exact formula would be a mistake for MotoGP.
“Usually, you can’t just copy something,” he said.
The Liberty Media executive argued that the motorcycle championship needs to develop a strategy around its own strengths rather than assume that the success of another sport can be repeated through the same format.
Carey says MotoGP must develop its own identity
Carey acknowledged that Formula 1 and MotoGP share important characteristics.
Both are international motorsport championships with major manufacturers, prominent athletes, extensive technical development and global television audiences.
However, he stressed that MotoGP offers a distinctly different spectacle and should use those differences when developing its commercial strategy.
The American executive pointed to the physical demands of motorcycle racing, including the extreme lean angles and proximity of riders to the track surface.
He believes those characteristics provide opportunities to communicate the sport’s appeal to audiences unfamiliar with motorcycle racing.
Carey said Liberty Media’s experience in Formula 1 could provide useful lessons, but warned against applying the same commercial strategy without adapting it.
That approach includes finding ways to introduce riders’ personalities to a wider public, increasing digital engagement and exploring new partnerships.
The executive also acknowledged that MotoGP is still in the early stages of its development under Liberty’s ownership.
Drive to Survive changed how F1 reaches new audiences
Carey identified Drive to Survive as one of Formula 1’s most recognisable commercial successes.
The Netflix documentary series began in 2019 and followed the drivers, team principals and off-track relationships shaping the championship.
Rather than focusing exclusively on race results and technical developments, the production introduced personal conflicts, career decisions and team operations to viewers.
The series developed an audience beyond established motorsport fans, particularly as Formula 1 expanded its presence in North America.
Carey emphasised that the strategy was based on recognising the importance of the people involved in the championship.
“Drive to Survive is probably the most obvious example,” he acknowledged.
The executive explained that Formula 1 wanted to give its personalities a larger platform and make it easier for supporters to develop connections with drivers and teams.
He also stressed that digital engagement now extends far beyond the live race broadcast.
Fans increasingly follow their favourite drivers through interviews, short videos, social media and behind-the-scenes content throughout the week.
Carey believes MotoGP can benefit from that type of engagement without necessarily producing a documentary series identical to Formula 1’s.
Liberty Media wants MotoGP to expand digital and US audiences
MotoGP presents Liberty Media with a different commercial challenge from the one Formula 1 faced after its acquisition.
The motorcycle championship has a substantial following in Europe and parts of Asia, but the United States remains an important market for expansion.
The sport also has a strong concentration of leading riders from Spain and Italy.
Liberty Media is seeking to develop its profile in markets where motorcycle Grand Prix racing is less established, while retaining the audiences that already follow the championship.
Carey discussed the importance of digital platforms, streaming services and partnerships in that process.
He pointed to Formula 1’s experience with broadcasters and technology companies, noting that different commercial partners can provide new approaches to presenting a sport.
The former Formula 1 CEO also referenced documentaries produced around other sports, including golf and tennis, as examples of organisations attempting to benefit from the popularity of behind-the-scenes series.
However, he argued that a successful format cannot simply be transferred from one championship to another with the expectation of achieving identical results.
For MotoGP, the question is which stories, personalities and content formats can best communicate the sport’s particular appeal.
MotoGP has already explored documentary storytelling
The debate over MotoGP’s documentary strategy predates Liberty Media’s acquisition.
In 2022, the championship launched MotoGP Unlimited, a behind-the-scenes production that followed riders and teams during the 2021 season.
The series did not achieve the same global recognition as Formula 1’s Netflix production.
More recently, MotoGP executives have discussed developing additional long-form storytelling formats while also expanding their approach to short-form video and digital distribution.
Commercial director Kelly Brittain previously acknowledged that people frequently ask whether the championship should create its own version of Drive to Survive.
The question is part of a wider discussion about balancing established fans’ interest in racing with the need to introduce riders and their careers to new audiences.
Carey’s comments do not amount to a prohibition on MotoGP producing another documentary series. Instead, he is cautioning against making a direct copy of Formula 1’s format the centre of its commercial strategy.
Liberty Media prepares MotoGP for a new technical era
The discussion comes as MotoGP prepares for major changes in 2027.
The championship will introduce 850cc engines, Pirelli tyres and revised technical regulations, creating a new competitive environment for manufacturers and riders.
The calendar is also changing, with the Australian Grand Prix moving from Phillip Island to Adelaide and Argentina returning through a new event in Buenos Aires.
As GRANDE PRÊMIO reported in its analysis of the 2027 MotoGP calendar, the championship will feature 22 rounds across five continents.
MotoGP is also preparing for a major expansion of its digital and commercial activities under Liberty Media’s ownership.
Carey’s comments in New York addressed the broader strategy for reaching new audiences rather than announcing a specific documentary production, streaming agreement or new race.
GRANDE PRÊMIO is following every session of the Australian MotoGP Grand Prix at Phillip Island this weekend, with breaking news, full coverage and real-time updates in its MotoGP section.
