Paddy McNally, a prominent figure in Formula One’s commercial development and a former boyfriend of Sarah Ferguson, has died at 88.
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Paddy McNally, a prominent figure in Formula One's commercial development and a former boyfriend of Sarah Ferguson, has died at 88.
- McNally passed away on July 22, 2026, at his home in Sevenhampton, Wiltshire, just weeks after the sudden death of his son, Sean.
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Formula One Mogul Paddy McNally Dies at 88
Patrick “Paddy” McNally, a British businessman and racing driver credited as a principal architect of modern commercial Formula One, passed away on July 22, 2026, at his home in Sevenhampton, Wiltshire, at the age of 88. His death occurred just weeks after his son, Sean, died suddenly in April 2026 at the age of 56.
McNally’s career in motorsports began as a journalist for Autosport magazine before transitioning to the commercial side of the sport. He became known for working closely with Bernie Ecclestone, developing systems for trackside advertising and establishing the Paddock Club, a corporate hospitality operation for Formula One events. He founded Allsport Management SA in December 1983, a Geneva-based company that controlled Formula One advertising and hospitality. He remained chief executive until his retirement in 2011.
Beyond his significant contributions to Formula One, McNally was also known for his relationship with Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York. They dated for three years between 1982 and 1985, after Ferguson was hired to look after his sons following the death of his first wife, Anne Downing. Despite their romantic relationship ending before Ferguson’s marriage to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor in 1986, they remained close friends for decades. Ferguson reportedly described McNally as a “father figure” and a trusted advisor. McNally was also known for owning chalets in the Swiss ski resort of Verbier, where he reportedly hosted parties and offered refuge to Ferguson. In 2017, McNally was estimated to have a fortune of €718 million, ranking him on The Sunday Times Irish Rich List and in the UK.