By Darian Lee Cowley
Formula 1 really wants America, the global superpower, to embrace the sport.
Americans have been historically reluctant to embrace foreign and European sports. This has made it difficult for Formula 1 to compete against IndyCar and NASCAR. However, times have changed.
50s-70s
Believe it or not, the Indy 500 was an official round of the F1 World Championship during the 1950s. This was bizarre, as it had a completely different set of regulations, and none of the full-time F1 drivers usually competed.
F1 would find a more suitable US home in Watkins Glen, New York. The track was aided by the popularity of American F1 world champions Phil Hill and Mario Andretti, but this isn’t a long-term approach.
Ecclestone approach
As Bernie Ecclestone took control of F1 in the 1980s, he sought as vital for the sport to attract the American market better than other European sports. Since there were no American drivers, he adopted a “build it and they will come” approach.
He signed numerous contracts for races in the US during the decade. Races were held on the streets of Long Beach, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Detroit and Dallas. F1 had an advantage over other European sports by being able to hold events in the States.
However, most of these races were short-lived and did not inspire America. These street circuits tended to provide poor racing and attracted poor attendance.
While F1’s TV coverage was popular in Europe, it did not hit the mark across the pond. F1 instead decided to focus on expanding the calendar in the Middle East and Asia.
From 1992 to 2000, there was no F1 race in the US. However, Indianapolis returned to the calendar in 2001, this time with an inner road circuit with the actual F1 cars.
It proved popular among fans due to some dramatic races, such as the 2003 race, taking place in the heat of a 3-way championship battle. However, another dramatic race, the farcical 6-car 2005 race, would soon be seen off the calendar.
Towards the end of the Ecclestone era, F1 sought a long-term home in America, with a purpose-built track in Austin, Texas. The Circuit of the Americas was the most liked of the Hermann Tilke tracks, as it provided exciting speed in Sector 1 and great overtaking chances in Sectors 2 and 3.
Liberty Media
Liberty Media’s 2016 buyout of F1 changed the sport’s relationship with America forever. They brought in approaches used in American sports, such as improved social media coverage and a cost cap for more competitiveness.
Liberty’s biggest success was Netflix’s hit documentary series Drive to Survive. It made F1 much more popular in the states despite the absence of an American driver.
The phenomenon has pushed F1 to add new street circuits in Miami and Vegas (again) to the calendar. Next year will also see a second American team, Cadillac, enter the sport.
There are concerns that the Drive to Survive popularity is seasonal and is starting to die down. Whoever F1’s owners are in the future, they can’t rely on a Netflix documentary as justification for 3 races.
WHEEL2WHEEL REPORTS 