Formula 1 makes a loud statement at the US Grand Prix

KANNAPOLIS, NC (WBTV) – Formula 1 racing had an exciting weekend of racing last weekend at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, TX. In fact, it was so good that many Formula 1 insiders are hoping the sport has now seen significant gains among fans in the United States.

“The old saying goes that America doesn’t need Formula 1, but America needs Formula 1,” said Stuart Morrison. Morrison is Head of Communications for the Uralkali Haas F1 Team, the only US-based Formula 1 team.

The team is headquartered in Kannapolis on the same campus as the Stewart-Haas NASCAR team. The team, founded in 2014, made its debut in the 2016 F1 season and immediately made itself felt.

“There has been a lot of support since day one,” said Stuart Morrison in an interview with WBTV. “Gene (Haas) brought an existing fan base with her. From an American point of view, it brought curious eyeballs. The team showed that the business model can work and deliver points. The team scored points in the first two races, finishing 8th in the first year, 8th in the second year and 5th in the third year. Many new teams (since 2010) have given up, never scored, but we have proven the opposite to many people by showing that this can work. “

Although the team is based in the middle of NASCAR land, it has amassed its share of fans. Morrison pays tribute to the Netflix series Formula One: Drive To Survive for bringing new American fans to the sport. That point, he said, was made during Sunday’s US Grand Prix.

“Netflix brought a lot of new fans, American fans, to Formula One,” said Morrison. “The numbers were astronomical compared to previous years.”

The organizers estimated that up to 400,000 fans populated the Austin area during the three days last weekend. While the NASCAR race in Kansas had higher TV ratings overall than the US Grand Prix, the F1 race achieved its highest ratings ever in the US with an estimated audience of 1.225 million viewers.

Morrison said Austin is a perfect venue for the sport and its fans because it’s a destination city that has many things to offer outside of the racetrack.

“We always enjoy coming to America. We have 22-23 races a year, but a handful are in really exciting cities, ”added Morrison. Austin is a destination with restaurants, hotels, things to do … you want to go out, meet friends, let the city hug you. When the Grand Prix comes to town, it’s like a festival for the weekend. It just enhances the atmosphere, it’s phenomenal. “

Fans of the Haas team were evident in Austin. Morrison noted that they usually gather at what they call “Haas Hill” on the track, where they cheer for drivers Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin.

“We distributed hats and scarves,” said Morrison. “We usually take a big team picture with the fans.”

Morrison mentioned going out to Austin for dinner Friday night and seeing fans in Haas shirts. “We’re making an impression,” said Morrison. “We’re not the biggest, not the most successful, but based on fan mail and reactions on social media, we’re there for Americans who want to cheer on the American team.”

The 2021 season was a battle on the track for the team. The team has not collected any points until Sunday and is in 10th place in the constructors’ championship. Morrison is confident that 2022 will be a turning point for Haas F1.

“All of the effort is going into next year’s car,” said Morrison. “We are on a glide path into next year. Our rookie drivers are learning this year in order to be more competitive next year. “

Morrison said he, along with Gene Haas and team principal Günther Steiner, hoped that the return to competitiveness in 2022 would coincide with the rise in Formula 1 popularity in the United States.

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