Woman Spotlight Wednesday: Katharina Nowak

Written by Aashna Singh, Edited by Vyas Ponnuri

Credit: Sports Business Journal

Women have played an influential role throughout the history of motor racing. Many have taken to the wheels of motorsport machines, while numerous figures have worked tirelessly on the sidelines in various roles, shaping the motor racing world to the present day. 

Woman Spotlight Wednesday aims to take a look at the tales of these superwomen, who have surpassed various hurdles to reach where they are today.

Formula One may be heading to the desert of Nevada this week for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, but the spotlight shines on a recently-appointed figure for another American round on the calendar. Katharina Nowak recently became the youngest president for an F1 event, taking leadership for Miami at 28 years old. 

Early spotlight

Originally from Austria, Nowak was raised in Miami. She graduated from Loyola University, Chicago, with a degree in advertising and public relations. After college, she joined the Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium enterprise in 2019. 

She began her career on the Dolphins events team, initially drawn by the excitement of the Super Bowl coming to her hometown.

Within 18 months, she transitioned into sponsorship, developing a strong understanding of commercial operations before helping to establish the F1 project from the ground up, becoming an integral part of the very inception of the Miami Grand Prix. 

Nowak was a central figure behind the scenes. In 2023, she was promoted to oversee business operations for the Miami Grand Prix.

In 2024, the Austrian was named Vice President of Business Operations. In this role, she led the collaboration across 17 different business and operational departments, she also served as a key negotiator in business and partnership opportunities. 

Additionally, she was the main driving force in the organisation’s relationship with F1, directing all the strategic planning for the debut race, including overseeing the transformation of the Hard Rock Stadium into a temporary racing circuit. 

Her exceptional work and rapid rise in the ranks were formally recognized as a 2024 Sports Business Journal (SBJ) New Voices Under 30 honoree. 

During Nowak’s tenure in a senior leadership role, the event won the prestigious 2024 F1 Promoter of the Year Award, delivered four consecutive sellout races, and grew attendance to 275,000 by 2025.

Current Role & the path ahead

Succeeding Tyler Epp, who led the event since 2022, Nowak becomes the youngest president of any current F1 race and one of only two women holding a similar vice presidential role in motorsport worldwide.

In her new chapter as president, Nowak remains committed to building on the foundation of the success that has already been established. Her goal is to continue delivering an exceptional event for all stakeholders, with elite on-track action and a fan-first experience at its centre. 

When asked about her new role, she says “Every promoter does things differently, and that’s what makes Formula 1 so special — it allows us to showcase the culture of our city.”

She plans to maintain a hands-on, collaborative approach to leadership, ensuring the event continues its innovative and forward-thinking trajectory.

She will also oversee the business and help welcome new championships, such as Formula E, to the venue. The electric racing series also hosted the famous ‘Evo Sessions’ at the venue in 2024, featuring several celebrities driving alongside full-time Formula E drivers on the track over two days. 

And with the Miami Grand Prix already extended through the calendar till 2041, Nowak is poised to shape the event’s long-term legacy; her passion and commitment will ensure the event continues to be successful for decades to come.