Mark delivers high-energy keynotes and leadership workshops connecting 30+ years of Formula One and Formula E experience to performance, strategy, and innovation in business. He has spoken at corporate events, conferences, and universities across the UK and Europe — and is available to book directly or through Champions Speakers Bureau.
Speaking Topics
The Motorsport MBA: Making Winning a Science
The flagship keynote. Translating the precision, systems thinking, and relentless improvement of elite motorsport into practical frameworks for leadership and organisational performance. Delivered to Saïd Business School, Oxford Brookes MBA, and senior leadership teams across Europe.
Leading Under Pressure: Decision-Making at Race Speed
Every race compresses months of corporate decision-making into 45 minutes. This talk explores how motorsport teams make high-stakes decisions in real time — and how those instincts can be trained and applied in any fast-moving organisation.
From F1 to Formula E: Leading Through Disruption
A personal account of navigating one of sport’s most radical transformations — from internal combustion to electric, from analogue to data-driven, from established teams to founding new ones. Ideal for organisations managing technological or cultural change.
Building Championship Teams
What does it actually take to build a team that wins five World Championships? This talk goes inside the human dynamics of high-performance motorsport — recruitment, accountability, marginal gains culture, and what separates teams that peak under pressure from those that don’t.
The Electric Future: Motorsport, Mobility and What Comes Next
Drawing on experience at the frontier of Formula E, autonomous vehicles, and sustainable mobility, this forward-looking talk is tailored for audiences in energy, technology, and transport — exploring what the motorsport industry’s transition to electrification tells us about the broader future of mobility.
Testimonials
“Participants at the Oxford Healthcare Leadership Programme offered by the Saïd Business School have found Mark Preston’s insights of enormous value. His reflective and engaging style transforms the lessons learnt over a lifetime as a leader in elite motor racing into practical frameworks and advice applicable to any high performance environment.”
Eleanor Murray, Associate Dean for Executive Education, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
“Mark gave us an inspired presentation on his career, business endeavours and challenges. We appreciated very much his honest and transparent insights on the managerial and leadership elements behind his successes, as well as his learnings from the challenges along the way. There are incredible learnings to take away as managers. I would highly recommend that other Divisions in TotalEnergies consider having Mark present to them.”
Kevin McLachlan, Senior VP Exploration, TotalEnergies
Podcasts & Media
Mark Preston on Formula Nerds · The Human CEO Podcast · The New Warehouse · Motormouth Ep 130 · PJ Tips Podcast · Airspeeder Future Thoughts · The Monkey Seat Podcast Ep 36
Selected Past Events
Oxford Platinum Lectures · Credit Suisse Paris Auto Show Investor Conference · Mines and Money London · Lisbon Mobi Summit · Future Powertrain Conference · FT Future of the Car Summit · Oxford Healthcare Leadership Programme · TotalEnergies Senior Leadership · Formula Student & Formula SAE universities
Many of Mark’s keynote themes draw directly from the Motorsport MBA framework. For ongoing strategic engagement, explore Advisory.
To discuss a speaking engagement, get in touch or book via Champions Speakers Bureau.
Frequently Asked Questions
What topics does Mark Preston speak on?
Mark’s core keynotes cover four high-value areas: building championship teams under extreme pressure (drawing on four months to build Super Aguri F1 from scratch), making winning a science through data-driven decision-making, leading through technological disruption from electrification to AI, and real-time decision-making at 200 mph. All keynotes are tailored to the audience and event objectives.
Who is the ideal audience for Mark’s keynotes?
Mark’s talks resonate most strongly with senior leaders, C-suite executives, engineers, technology innovators, and high-performance teams. He regularly speaks at corporate conferences, leadership summits, technology and automotive forums, MBA programmes, and industry associations. Events typically range from 100 to 5,000 delegates.
Is Mark available for international events?
Yes. Mark is based in the UK and speaks internationally across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, and the Americas. He has extensive experience presenting to global audiences and can tailor examples and case studies to regional business contexts.
What makes Mark Preston different from other leadership speakers?
Very few speakers combine elite technical engineering credentials (McLaren F1, Formula E), championship-winning team leadership (five Formula E World Championships), entrepreneurial experience (co-founding Super Aguri F1, founding StreetDrone), and formal business education (Oxford MBA). Mark doesn’t speak about motorsport as entertainment — he uses it as a precision lens for diagnosing and solving leadership and performance challenges.
How do I book Mark Preston for a speaking engagement?
You can book Mark directly via the contact form, through Champions Speakers Bureau, or via Great British Speakers. Mark’s team typically responds within 24–48 hours to discuss dates, topics, and formats.