Residents’ support for motorsport events: The role of trust and event legitimacy

This study examines Generation Z’s support for the proposed Thailand Formula 1 Grand Prix. Integrating Social Exchange Theory (SET) and the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework, it investigates how perceived economic, urban, and environmental impacts influence trust in authorities and event legitimacy, ultimately shaping behavioral support. It also explores the moderating role of tourism industry affiliation. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and multi-group analysis (MGA). Perceived economic equity and environmental credibility significantly predict trust and event legitimacy, while urban disruption shows no significant negative association. MGA results show that for residents outside the tourism industry, economic equity primarily drives trust, whereas for industry affiliates, event legitimacy is the sole significant predictor of support. This research applies the S-O-R framework to motorsport literature, identifying event legitimacy as a critical psychological filter for digital-native residents and highlighting the influence of industry affiliation in emerging host nations.