Josef Newgarden is the latest to weigh in on Formula 1’s increased United States presence, saying that it will help IndyCar grow, not encroach on its territory.
Newgarden is a two-time NTT IndyCar Series champion, and has been a general fan of motorsport his entire life. He is also aware that F1 has had a large increase in fan base in the US in the past decade.
Following the announcement that F1 will run three races in the US in 2023 with the addition of Las Vegas, he related that he believes the increased interest in motorsports will do nothing but help bring more fans to IndyCar.
“I think the momentum from the Formula 1 side is undeniable,” said Newgarden. “It has been for the last couple of years. We’re seeing the effect of that. It’s just continuing to impact here in the United States probably more than anywhere else in the world.
“What I love about this effect is we’re drawing in so many new fans into motorsports that typically wouldn’t give it a look, and I think that can only be positive for us on the IndyCar side, to be quite honest.
“If you are interested in Formula 1 and that captivates you, I don’t see any reason why if we get you exposed to IndyCar racing, why you wouldn’t be captivating about that as well, if not more.
“I’ve always been in the camp that if you are a motorsports fan, you’re typically a fan of everything. Maybe that’s not the classification for everybody that’s being part of this influx into Formula 1, but I think because our style of racing is so similar and there are so many parallels between the two series that we can really engage with the surge of fans that they’re growing.
“Yeah, I love it. I love Formula 1. I love IndyCar a little bit more, but I think both of them have plenty of room to grow together, and that’s not a bad thing for us.”
IndyCar holds yearly events in Long Beach, California and Laguna Seca, with each located within 400 miles of the new F1 event set for Las Vegas.
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