Formula 1 chief Ross Brawn has suggested that the attendance at last weekend’s United States Grand Prix shows a third event in the country is feasible.
Formula 1 returned to Austin’s Circuit of the Americas after a year’s absence and welcomed an estimated weekend attendance of around 380,000 people.
Formula 1’s United States Grand Prix is set to remain in Austin, subject to a new contract being agreed, while the Miami Grand Prix is joining on a 10-year deal from 2022.
It is understood that tentative discussions have taken place between Formula 1 and senior figures in Nevada over bringing the championship to Las Vegas.
If such a mooted scenario plays out then it could mean three grands prix in the United States.
“We’re seeing a very strong engagement with American fans now,” said Brawn in his post-race column.
“For years, F1 was a cult hobby in America but we are now seeing a genuine increase in engagement.
“Fans know the drivers, they know the personalities, they know the nuances of F1.
“It’s very exciting and I think it demonstrates F1 can comfortably have two races in the USA – and maybe more – because of the passion of the fans we’ve experiencing this weekend.”
Brawn went on to praise the display of title protagonists Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton throughout Sunday’s 56-lap encounter.
“This was a race to be glued to the screen, studying the gaps and the tyre strategy to see how the race was evolving,” said Brawn.
“It was far from certain until the end who would come out on top. Neither Lewis or Max put a foot wrong – and that’s the fantastic thing about this championship.
“We’ve got two drivers who are driving immaculately, and I don’t think I really saw a mistake from either of them, nothing significant anyway.
“And it capped off a sensational weekend with huge sell-out crowds every day, great weather, great atmosphere and a great vibe about the place.”
This is not right. There should not be, in normal times anyhow, the pandemic was exceptional, more than one race per country. If the target is twenty-five races per season, there are more than twenty-five countries capable of holding these events, to make for a truly world championship. The fear from Liberty’s pronouncements when they took over was that we could end up with an American championship, and with Miami added to the calendar, and regular speculation over possible future venues being any combination of Las Vegas, Indianapolis, New York, Chicago and California, that danger hasn’t receded at all since. For the good of the sport the FIA needs to step in and make a ruling for one country one race.
Call me a pessimist. Living through a time in the US when, well, you know how bad it is here. I can’t help thinking that the much of the Texas crowd was there to see a black man lose the race.
HOW ABOUT ADDING ANOTHER RACE TO CANADA TO