Paddy McNally

Paddy McNally
Born	Patrick Sean McNally (1937-12-20) 20 December 1937 (age 87) Gravesend, Kent, England
Nationality	British, Irish
Occupations	Motorsport executive entrepreneur racing driver journalist
Years active	1963–2011
Known for	Formula 1 and association with Sarah, Duchess of York

Patrick Sean McNally (born 20 December 1937) ^[1] is a British businessman and former racing driver. He was chief executive of Allsport Management, a Swiss-based company which controlled Formula One advertising and hospitality via the Paddock Club.

Early life

McNally was born on 20 December 1937 in Gravesend, the son of a Royal Air Force doctor. ^[2] He grew up in County Monaghan, Ireland, and was educated at Stonyhurst College.

Career

At the 1971 Monaco Grand Prix

Beginning his career as a motorsports journalist for Autosport magazine, McNally was also involved in sports car racing throughout the 1960s. ^{[3] [4]} Residing in Lausanne, Switzerland, he then worked for Philip Morris's Marlboro as a sponsorship consultant. ^{[5] [6]} Later he was a driver manager of James Hunt, a friend who he "looked after" on behalf of Marlboro (1977-79). ^[7]

By 1983 McNally had begun working with Bernie Ecclestone. ^{[6] [8]} In 1984, he set up Allsport Management SA, a company which provided corporate hospitality and trackside advertising for Formula One events. ^{[9] [10]} Based in Geneva, Allsport and related Allsopp Parker & Marsh (APM), registered in Ireland, ^[11] owned the trackside advertising rights at Formula One circuits and operated the Formula One Paddock Club, the Grand Prix hospitality provider. ^{[12] [13] [14]}

In March 2006, he sold Allsport Management to CVC. ^{[15] [16] [17]} He remained chief executive until 2011, when he announced his retirement. ^{[18] [19] [20]} Along with Ecclestone, John Hogan and Max Mosley, McNally is considered a principal architect of modern Formula One. ^[21]

Personal life

McNally dated and was involved with Sarah Ferguson between 1982 and 1986; after refusing to marry her she ended up marrying Prince Andrew, Duke of York. ^{[22] [23] [24] [25]} The pair remain close friends. ^{[26] [27]} Another notable romance was with Finnish fashion model Nina Rindt. ^[28]

McNally has been noted for his social prominence in the Swiss ski resort Verbier, where since 1980 he has owned several chalets. ^{[29] [30] [31] [32]} He is the owner of Sevenhampton Place, Wiltshire, the former home of James Bond author Ian Fleming. ^{[33] [34]}

References

1. "Patrick McNally | BRDC Members | British Racing Drivers' Club". www.brdc.co.uk. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
2. Seward, Ingrid (1991). Sarah, HRH the Duchess of York : a biography. London : HarperCollins. p. 78. ISBN   978-0-00-215188-7.
3. "Patrick McNally - All Results - Racing Sports Cars". www.racingsportscars.com. Retrieved 3 September 2025.
4. "Paddy McNally | Racing career profile | Driver Database". www.driverdb.com. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
5. Bower, Tom (2011). No Angel: The Secret Life of Bernie Ecclestone. Internet Archive. London : Faber & Faber. pp. 128–130. ISBN   978-0-571-26929-7.
6. "Paddy McNally". www.grandprix.com. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
7. Rubython, Tom (2010). Shunt: The Story of James Hunt. pp. 471–472, 584–585. ISBN   978-0-9565656-0-0.
8. Lovell, Terry (2009). Bernie Ecclestone: King of Sport. Internet Archive. John Blake. pp. 68–71. ISBN   978-1-78219-262-6.
9. "Ireland's Rich List: 41-50". Independent.ie. 31 March 2010. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
10. "Paddy McNally". Irish Independent. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
11. "Irish firm linked to F1 made profits of ?137k". Independent.ie. 30 October 2004. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
12. Saward, Joe (4 January 2000). "The Paddock Club". GrandPrix.com. Archived from the original on 6 November 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2006.
13. Mosley, Max (2015). Formula One and Beyond: The Autobiography. Simon & Schuster UK. ISBN   978-1471150197.
14. "McNally to be CEO of Formula One PLC". www.grandprix.com. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
15. "CVC buys Allsport - Grandprix.com". www.grandprix.com. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
16. "Grand prix, grand prizes". The Economist. ISSN   0013-0613 . Retrieved 21 February 2023.
17. "2014 Sunday Times Rich List reveals wealthiest Brits in motoring". Driving.co.uk from The Sunday Times. 16 May 2014. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
18. "Allsport boss Patrick McNally to retire". Reuters. 7 December 2010. Retrieved 17 August 2020.^{[ dead link ]}
19. Dron, Will (6 May 2017). "Driving Rich List 2017: Triumph chief powers into second place but Bernie Ecclestone stays top". Sunday Times Driving. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
20. "Patrick «Paddy» McNally - 300 Plus Riches | Bilan". bilan.ch (in French).
21. "Business F1 Magazine on McNally, Ecclestone and Mosley". 30 August 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
22. Burnet, Alastair (1986). The Book of the Royal Wedding. Summit Books. p. 62. ISBN   978-0-671-63303-5.
23. "Fergie: Bedlam Over the Bride". The Washington Post. 1986.
24. "McNally tops Donegal Rich List with €517m". www.donegallive.ie. 23 April 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
25. Cochrane, Kira (24 May 2010). "Why I feel sorry for Sarah Ferguson". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
26. Maguire, Stephen (8 February 2011). "The Donegal millionaire who is still cutting a dash with royalty". Donegal Daily. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
27. Wilson, Christopher (2025). "Royal exiles: Andrew and Fergie will follow in Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson's footsteps". The Telegraph.
28. "'The curse' of Paddy McNally". Sunday Independent. Dublin, Ireland. 7 March 1993.
29. "The Beginnings of a Royal Catfight? Princess Diana and Sarah Ferguson's Fraught Relationship". Vanity Fair. 21 August 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
30. "'Sloane Square on the Slopes': The enduring British love affair with Verbier". The Gentleman's Journal. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
31. Mills, Simon (2 January 2008). "All fur coat and Gucci goggles". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077.
32. Times, The Sunday (25 November 2012). "Jamie Blandford: Dodging the ghosts of Cocaine Castle". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
33. "Daring raid on tycoon's home". Wiltshire Gazette & Herald. 22 June 2004. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
34. "Paddy McNally". The Times . 26 April 2009.