F1 American owner Liberty Media has put a lot of effort into expanding the sport’s presence in North America since its launch in 2017.
Following the success of the Netflix documentary series Drive to Survive, the new owners have struck a deal to bring the F1 to Miami from May 2022, which has secured a spot on a 23-race calendar that also includes Austin’s US GP in the October includes.
But Liberty is exploring more American options, citing Las Vegas and Indianapolis as the two most likely options for a third US Grand Prix.
An event in Vegas would likely include a street race that spans parts of the famous Downtown Strip while Roger Penske, owner of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, has hosted exploratory talks with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali about a long-term return to the street course of the speedway that is ongoing F1 in 2007.
Alonso, who was in Miami on Tuesday to open a Kimoa / Simple EV store with Mayor Francis Suarez in F1’s newest host city, believes the US could support a third American race on the calendar.
“I think so, I don’t see a problem in that,” Alonso told Motorsport.com in Miami. “The US is probably the biggest destination for Formula 1 right now, as Liberty is responsible for the sport.
“There are rumors that it could happen in different places, Las Vegas or Indianapolis or whatever, so let’s take it one step at a time. But let’s first have a good Grand Prix in Miami next year.
“I am very happy to come here, it will be one of the best races next year. It’s a new event, a new city, I think a lot of people in the F1 community are going to be discovering Miami for the first time. “
Otmar Szafnauer, Team Principal and CEO, Aston Martin F1, is interviewed
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
Szafnauer: “The F1 audience in the States can grow significantly”
Aston Martin team boss Otmar Szafnauer agrees that Formula 1 is right to have a third American race on its ever-expanding calendar, as he believes the US market still offers plenty of room for growth.
“If we add a third Grand Prix there, I think the American market is big enough that it is not yet saturated, that’s my opinion,” he said.
“Knowing that NASCAR has about 40 races, everyone still enjoys NASCAR. We’re a truly global sport, but I think it’s very practical to have three Grand Prix in a country like America. There will be demand, I think. “
Part of Szafnauer’s reasoning is that Drive to Survive brings F1 to new audiences and shows that the sport offers the right amount of storylines and entertainment to attract new fans.
“I’ve been an F1 fan since the early 1980s when I lived near Detroit [which hosted a grand prix between 1982 and 1988]He explained. “I think since there are more races in the American time zone and Netflix Drive To Survive is so popular, I think this has attracted a wider and more diverse audience than just motorsport fans.
“I think our product is so entertaining and enticing. Once you get the taste for it and understand it, I think the F1 audience in the US can grow significantly. In my experience, when a household looks at F1 and says that dad likes it, the children start to like it and it grows geometrically.
“If we get that momentum, I think the growth can come very quickly. We now have Miami, another race in America and in this time zone. You never know if we’ll be adding more in the future. “
