The Formula 1 Expansion To The United States
What is some clear evidence from the last decade that the Formula 1 sport is growing in popularity in the United States and that it’s here to stay?
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Formula 1 is a simple yet complicated sport. In racing, the winner is whoever crosses the finish line first. Pretty simple right?
Formula 1 is the highest-class and most prestigious international automobile racing competition. There are 10 teams with 2 drivers on each team making a total of 20 drivers on the track.
[2023 Current Drivers] [2023 Current Teams]
Each season 2 Championships are contested. The Drivers Championship and the Constructors/Teams Championship.
The races (Grand Prix) are contested all around the world, from a range of 8 to 24 races per season. Each race weekend, drivers can score points in different ways. Points that accumulate by the driver and by the team.
Points are assigned to the first 10 drivers who finish the race and one extra point to whoever sets the fastest lap during the race. Additionally, on special occasions, drivers can earn extra points during the Sprint race format introduced in the 2021 season.
If you want to know more about the F1 Sprint consult this guide: https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/the-beginners-guide-to-the-f1-sprint.55yJBEiF7vYkZEwSV9lZJ9
Context
Formula 1 has its roots from the European Grand Prix Championships from the 1920s to the 1930s. It was formally founded in 1946 with the creation of the FIA, or the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile. The organization charged with setting and enforcing regulations in the motorsport.
Its first championship was celebrated in May 1950 with an opening race at Silverstone, England.
[Circuits by Country and number of times they hosted a Grand Prix]
Every year the FIA decides which countries and circuits will be hosts for F1 races for that season. They tend to change every couple of years which circuits get picked but the only 2 circuits that have been raced every year since the first Grand Prix are Silverstone and Monza.
Looking at the historical data, it is evident to notice how the sport has been highly influenced by the European market. It is true that it is an international competition but some of the data might prove the opposite.
[Races by Country] [Races by Circuit]
Out of all the 1,097 total races that have been held in the last 73 years since the foundation, 659 of those races were held in Europe.
38 out of the 77 total circuits in the world ever raced by Formula 1 are located in Europe.
9 out of the 10 teams in Formula 1 are European, except for Haas F1 Team which is an American team.
More than half of the current drivers are European or of European descent.
And not to mention, the most championships won. That’s at the end of the day it’s what really matters in the sport.
Fun fact: The two drivers with the most titles in their career are Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher. Both with a total of 7 World Champion titles.
Context: Formula 1 and the United States
In the past, Formula 1 had made some serious attempts to enter the United States market. Hosting races in the USA, special race structures such as the Indianapolis 500, having the only non-European team be American, many drivers over the years, and even earning 2 World Champion Titles.
But unfortunately, the sport was never able to reach the main stage and gain high popularity. Formula 1 needed an extra boost to reach all these fans, and it seems they were able to figure it out soon enough.
Analysis
What has happened to Formula 1 in the last decade?
Some would say that in the last few years, there has been the start of a shift in the sport. We will be analyzing all historical data and comparing it to what has happened in the last 10 years.
To start our analysis, we can compare how different the average number of races by continent per season has changed. In the pie chart to the right, we can see that more than half of all races were held in Europe. Whereas in the pie chart to the left, we see a more even distribution between Europe and Asia. As well as a rising North America.
[Historical average races by Country] [Last 10 years average races by Country]
Looking more closely at what has happened in the last 10 years, we notice how the number of races in Europe starts to decline after 2020. North America and Asia have started to see a boost. Nowadays, there are 5 races in North America,3 of which are in the United States.
We have to take into account that 2020 was not a normal season because of Covid-19, during which many races weren’t able to be held.
Taking this new information into account, we now ask ourselves:
What could have happened around the year 2020 that caused a shift in the sport?
One reason could be the release of the Netflix TV show “Drive to Survive” back in March 2019.
Netflix, as one of the major streaming platforms, had the great idea to start recording every championship of Formula 1 in a TV show/reality/documentary style.
Unlike traditional sports media, which only air the main event, Netflix started streaming to viewers everything in and behind the sport to viewers. This way, viewers were able to connect with the sport on a more personal level, getting to know the drivers, team principals, mechanics, and of course, what it’s like to be involved in the world of Formula 1.
From my perspective, this TV show is what showed Formula 1 how much potential the United States market has and what they have been missing all these years.
Moreover, it introduced a massive audience to the sport of Formula 1 and gained popularity among many.
Results
What are some results we can notice from the rising popularity of Formula 1 in the United States?
More races are being held in the United States.
[USA races from the last 10 years]
Many people follow the sport, including famous athletes, models, artists, politicians, etc.
Famous Americans seen on the F1 Miami Grand Prix 2024:
- Tom Brady (football quarterback)
- Kendall Jenner (model)
- Tommy Hilfiger (fashion designer)
- Fred Kerley (track and field athlete)
- Jimmy Butler (basketball player)
- Odell Beckham Jr. (football wide receiver)
- Lindsey Vonn (alpine ski racer)
- Patrick Mahomes (football quarterback)
- Donald Trump (45th U.S. President)
New teams/circuits sponsorships and partnerships:
- HP / Ferrari
- Google / McLaren
- Oracle / Red Bull
- TeamViewer / Mercedes
- Visa Cash App Team (previously AlphaTauri)
- Las Vegas Grand Prix (Las Vegas Strip)
- Miami Grand Prix (Hard Rock Stadium)
The rise in popularity of Formula 1 in the United States has brought about several positive changes for the sport. It has expanded the fan base, led to the establishment of more local circuits and races, increased ticket sales, and opened up opportunities for new profitable sponsorships and partnerships.
What does the future hold for Formula 1 in North America? We can anticipate several developments:
- An increase in the number of races per season
- The introduction of additional circuits
- A rise in box office ticket revenue
- A growth in fan base, which could potentially lead to the emergence of more future drivers and world champions
In conclusion, Formula 1’s impact on American sports is positioned to reach unprecedented heights. It’s no longer just about roaring engines; it’s about captivating hearts and minds, making Formula 1 an integral part of the American sporting stage.
Buckle up — the race has just begun!
