The impact of Formula 1 on regional economies in Europe

The tangible effects of hosting major sporting events have been thoroughly examined in recent years. The consensus among scholars is that the effects on tourism, inbound foreign investments and gross domestic product (GDP) from hosting, for example, the Olympic Games or the football World Cup are absent. Further, only a few studies have been conducted on one of the most commercially successful (major) sporting events: Formula 1 motor racing. This paper applies regression models to test the effects on GDP, employment and tourism in European regions that have hosted Formula 1 grand prix from 1991 to 2017. The output from the models suggests that hosting Formula 1 races does not produce positive effects.