Trackhouse Racing MotoGP expansion is accelerating after the team’s landmark victory at the Australian Grand Prix on October 20, 2025, placing them amongst the elite in the motorcycle racing world. Team owner Justin Marks is now actively exploring opportunities for collaboration with the Formula One sphere, signaling a potential new chapter for the ambitious organization.
Breaking New Ground in MotoGP
Trackhouse Racing, already renowned for Shane van Gisbergen’s string of five NASCAR Cup Series wins this season, has rapidly established its MotoGP credentials. Raul Fernandez achieved the team’s maiden MotoGP Grand Prix victory in Australia, a significant milestone given that Trackhouse Racing only entered MotoGP two years ago. By securing this win, the team became the last squad on the current grid to triumph in the premier class, aligning them with powerful names such as Honda HRC Castrol, Ducati Lenovo, and Yamaha MotoGP.
This victory has supercharged the profile of Justin Marks and the entire Trackhouse operation. Trackhouse’s growth as a legitimate multinational contender has captured attention across motorsports and opened up ambitious conversations about the future. The team’s ability to transition seamlessly from stock cars on American ovals to global motorcycle circuits is being closely watched by fans, investors, and competitors alike.
Potential Formula One Collaboration on the Horizon
The interconnected ownership of Liberty Media, now stewarding both MotoGP and Formula One, creates an environment ripe for cross-series partnerships. Justin Marks has spoken openly about leveraging this shared governance, indicating his enthusiasm for joining forces between the disciplines.
“There is a lot of interest in investing and getting in and wanting to buy teams and all that. I think it’s entirely possible that we take a partner at some point along the way. But I remain bullish on the property, and the team values will increase over time; I think the sport’s popularity will increase over time. If Liberty can apply just a little bit of what they’ve done in Formula 1 to MotoGP, it’s got a bright future.”
— Justin Marks, Owner, Trackhouse Racing
Within the MotoGP paddock, curiosity about investment is mounting. Notably, Max Verstappen, a four-time Formula One champion, has considered buying into a MotoGP team, and representatives reportedly approached Trackhouse Racing about such a venture. As the team’s competitive stature rises following their Australian Grand Prix win with Raul Fernandez, they have become even more attractive to high-profile investors and racing luminaries.
“There’s just people paying more attention or looking at us as a legitimate race team — as a real competitive satellite race team — and not just a team that’s sort of there.”
— Justin Marks, Owner, Trackhouse Racing
Financial Challenges Amid Rapid Growth
Despite Trackhouse Racing’s successes, the question of financial sustainability continues to loom, especially as MotoGP racing budgets escalate and the team operates with comparatively modest sponsorship. While the 2025 MotoGP season nears its conclusion, with one final race in Spain, some observers worry about whether Trackhouse can afford to sustain its position among the elite without additional financial support.
Justin Marks has candidly commented on the unique challenges motorsport teams face when managing costs compared to teams in sports with salary caps.
“One of the things that’s tough about it is you can always spend more and more money on chasing speed and success that doesn’t fit into a box like stick-and-ball sports do with salary caps and all that kind of stuff.”
— Justin Marks, Owner, Trackhouse Racing
“There’s a lot of ways companies can spend money, and we just need to make sure as an industry that the price point of getting involved in NASCAR doesn’t outpace the value proposition.”
— Justin Marks, Owner, Trackhouse Racing (via Adam Stern, Sports Business Reporter)
Marks emphasizes the importance of balancing aggressive investment with sustainability, echoing concerns shared by motorsport insiders about ensuring returns justify expenditure in both NASCAR and MotoGP.
“So what we have to be careful of is that we’re spending money on things that are the most effective in getting the results for the business as possible…There’s a lot of ways companies can spend money, and we just need to make sure as an industry that the price point of getting involved in NASCAR doesn’t outpace the value proposition.”
— Justin Marks, Owner, Trackhouse Racing
Adversity Strikes After Success
Shortly after Raul Fernandez’s breakthrough in Australia, a setback hit. Fernandez suffered a major crash at Portimao during the Portugal Grand Prix weekend, resulting in a shoulder dislocation. Although he attempted to return to the track and secured a respectable eighth in Saturday’s second practice, the injury sidelined him for the remainder of the event. Teammate Ai Ogura managed a seventh-place finish after a late-race move past Johann Zarco.
The timing of the accident, so soon after the victory, was especially difficult for Fernandez and the team. Yet the Spanish rider remains focused on recovery and plans to participate in the upcoming Valencian MotoGP round and the crucial post-season test.
“It’s true that on Friday I had a very big crash and I felt super-bad with the shoulder because I had a [disclocation] on the shoulder. It means that the recovery is minimum of three or four days. Maybe to think to race here was possible, with a lot of pain, but we were thinking more on Valencia to try to be there to make the test on Tuesday, which will be very important. At the end, we were thinking about Valencia and about the Valencia test.”
— Raul Fernandez, MotoGP Racer, Trackhouse Racing
The injury, while unfortunate, has not dampened the team’s resolve. Justin Marks and the entire squad remain determined to continue building on their achievements, even as they navigate the physical and financial hurdles that come with top-level global competition.
What Lies Ahead for Trackhouse Racing MotoGP Expansion
As the ever-evolving motorsports landscape offers new opportunities and trials, Trackhouse Racing stands at a crossroads. Their triumph in Australia set a new benchmark for rapid growth in MotoGP, and the interest from Formula One personalities like Max Verstappen only intensifies speculation about cross-series partnerships and heightened investment.
As Justin Marks champions a balance between ambition and sustainability, Trackhouse Racing’s future may include alliances extending beyond motorcycles and cars, firmly entrenching them as a pivotal player in modern motorsport. The team’s trajectory in MotoGP and willingness to engage with Formula One stakeholders could redefine how multi-disciplinary operations function in the years ahead. For now, industry followers, fans, and investors will watch closely as the Trackhouse Racing MotoGP expansion story unfolds, with significant races and business decisions on the horizon.
.@JustinMarksTH admits it's not easy to balance the books in racing: "There’s a lot of ways companies can spend money, and we just need to make sure as an industry that the price point of getting involved in NASCAR doesn’t outpace the value proposition." https://t.co/gRqUwE8Ju2
— Adam Stern (@A_S12) November 10, 2025
