Camila Sosa
Recently, Formula 1 announced the addition of the Las Vegas Grand Prix to the 2023 season calendar, and, although this will be the third race in the American dream, F1 president Stefano Domenicali believes it will bring “added value for everyone”.
Las Vegas had already hosted Formula 1 in the 80’s, in an improvised circuit inside the facilities of Caesar’s Palace Hotel, but it did not have much relevance due to the short distance and the layout without many curves, which caused it not to be considered again for a Grand Prix.
Now, 40 years later it is a fact that it will return, but this time the layout will be on the iconic Strip, the main avenue where the best casinos and hotels of Sin City are located.
It is known that a three-year contract has been signed for Las Vegas to host a Grand Prix, including Miami and Austin, the other two races to be held in the United States.
Therefore, the United States will be the country that will host the most Formula 1 races in 2023, and when asking Domenicali if whether he believes this could cause a decrease in attendance, he was confident that it won’t happen: “It’s an added value for everyone, because we are reaching the different objectives in terms of demographics and location”.
Domenicali is aware of the interest F1 is generating among young Americans: “The beauty of the growth of our sport in this country is that we are reaching a lot of young people who are starting to get excited about it.
Formula 1’s Popularity among Young Fans
He emphasized the importance of youth, as he believes that having current drivers tell their stories allows the promotion of motorsport: “We have seen before our eyes drivers, very young. They have the possibility to share through social channels also who they are, promoting our sport. Through them, I think there will be a great connection to develop the sport in the right dimension with the right ideas.”
As Domenicali commented, the interest of Americans in Formula 1 has grown considerably in recent years, as evidenced by the 400,000 people who attended last year’s Austin Grand Prix. At that time, the race held in Texas was the only one on the calendar that took place in the United States, and the Grand Prix of Miami was added for this 2022, which will be held next May.
The Formula 1 president made a comparison with respect to the American audience following the races: “If you think about where we were three years ago, it was difficult to have a grand prix full of people. We are now heading into a situation where we are going to have two completely sold out events this year.”
Domenicali wants the United States to be one of the most important markets for motorsport’s top category: “We are focused on making sure that this is one of the most important markets for F1, without forgetting, of course, that we were born in Europe and we are a global sport”.
