Everything is bigger and better in America, they say. The roads, the cities, the people – they’re all bigger. But there’s one thing that isn’t. F1 tries to ‘conquer the US’ but fails to capture new viewers or retain long-time fans, leading to depressingly annoying weekends.
We’re about to have an F1 calendar with three American Grand Prix – and there’s now been talk of another race in Chicago. My question is – and I’m sure it’s a question that’s shared with many long-time F1 fans – who asked?
F1 has long been obsessed with America, with drivers migrating to IndyCar and countless championship rounds at Watkins Glen or Indianapolis (and who could forget the diabolical Caesar’s Palace GP?), but the recent obsession has gone a bit far.
The obvious case study is the Las Vegas Grand Prix from last year. The number of times I winced watching Sergio Perez, a slightly nervous man, clueless about where he’s meant to go and how he’s meant to act is off the scale.
The race was also weirdly organised for such a standout event – the start time did not work for many European fans, as expected, but American viewers also found the start a bit too late in the night (10pm Vegas time). How are new viewers meant to be attracted to the sport if it starts by the time they’re asleep?
I think giving chances for American drivers and teams to join the series would be beneficial. God knows why the FIA rejected Andretti’s application to become a Formula 1 team. They were poised as the next great American entrant to the sport, giving fans in The States someone to support apart from current driver Logan Sergeant.
If F1 really does want to build its audience in the US, it would give Andretti, an American name steeped in motorsport history, a chance build its footing in the sport. Or even celebrating its current US team, Haas.
What should happen
Take my dad, who’s now a regular viewer and fan. When I was a baby and couldn’t sleep, he’d watch whatever he could find on TV out of boredom and found ex-F1 driver Robert Kubica tearing up the grid with a polish flag flying proudly.
He found someone he could support and rejoiced when a fellow countryman was atop the podium in 2008. He’s continued watching every race to this day, even though there hasn’t been a Polish F1 driver in years.
This is what F1’s America needs. Someone to support and has the country’s backing, giving people some national pride when their driver is successful. Yes, we have Sergeant, but what about someone who’s already made a name for themselves? Drivers like Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden or Kyle Larson could be top picks to bring loyal supporters to F1 weekends.
Yes, I know there are contracts, superlicences and other agreements that must be filled in before they make the leap, but I think that teams should be looking stateside for their next drivers.
Giving young talent in the US an attractive view of driving in F1 is absolutely consequential in helping build a strong base of drivers and fans to move the sport forward, not removing historic tracks and pricing out ‘true’ F1 viewers.
Instead of having four races in The States, let’s just go ahead with two at max. And make America’s audience cater to the F1 way of doing things, not America dictating that F1 should be all show and no substance.
So, F1, please stay true to yourself and true to your long-time fans. And let’s go back to Africa. Or secure more years at Monza. Or give Spa a future. Don’t phase history out.