Formula 1 | A 3rd F1 Grand Prix in the USA: Szafnauer votes for

Never two without three ? If a second Grand Prix will be held in the United States next year, in Miami, in addition to the one in Austin, Liberty Media has never hidden wanting to further develop the influence and popularity of F1 with uncle. Sam. And inevitably, the question of the organization of a third Grand Prix in the USA arises.

The country does not lack potential circuits, with Las Vegas or Indianapolis on pole: that is not the subject.

The question is rather: doesn’t organizing a 3rd Grand Prix in the USA risk, on the one hand, to overload the calendar even more, on the other hand to cannibalize the American events between them?

But for Otmar Szafnauer, at Aston Martin F1, there is room for three in the world’s largest market, where there is immense potential for growth for F1. Notably thanks to Netflix.

“I’ve been a fan since the early 1980s when I lived in Detroit. I know a lot of other people, maybe because we have the same ideas, but there are a lot of other Formula 1 fans in the United States. « 

“Having more races in North America or the US time zone, as well as the popularity of ‘Drive to Survive’ on Netflix, I think it attracted a much larger and more diverse audience than just the fans. racing. « 

“And our product is so entertaining and engaging that once you start to enjoy it and understand it… the audience for Formula 1 in the United States can grow significantly. « 

“In my experience, if a household watches Formula 1 and the dad loves it, and the kids love it afterwards, the number of viewers increases geometrically. A lot of my friends who are now in their 50s started watching Formula 1 because their parents did in the 1970s. So if we can get that momentum, I think the growth could happen very quickly. « 

“We have announced Miami now. So it’s another race in this time zone, another race in America. You never know if we’ll add more in the future. Las Vegas seems to want to position itself. « 

Okay then for 3 Grands Prix. And why not 4, 5, 6? Where is the line for the Aston Martin F1 manager?

« If I had to guess … let’s say we have three over there and they’re spaced out properly, the US market is big enough that if you only have three Grands Prix there, it isn’t. not at its saturation point. « 

As for the limit on the number of races on the entire calendar per year, Liberty Media also seems to push it back further: 22, 23 next year, and why not 25 in a few years … Again, is it? too much according to Otmar Szafnauer especially with 3 GP in the USA?

« That’s just my opinion, knowing that NASCAR has had, in the past, I don’t know, 42, 44 races, and everyone has always enjoyed NASCAR and a lot of them were close to each other. . So I think with three races there, even though we’re really a world sport and it’s a real world championship, having three races in a country like the United States is still very viable and there is will have a request. «