Formula 1 announced last week that it would add a third grand prix to the calendar in the United States alongside Miami and Austin starting next year and unveiled plans for a night race in Las Vegas.
The interest of US fans has increased significantly in recent years, which was also supported by the success of the documentary series “Drive to Survive” on Netflix.
But no American has raced in Formula 1 since Alexander Rossi, who competed a couple of times for Manor towards the end of the 2015 season.
Against the background of now three US races, Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali emphasizes that although it is “important” to sign an American driver, the prerequisites for this must be right and it should not be a quick fix.
Stefano Domenicali: “Invest in this area”
“It’s important because it’s the people who make the difference,” says Domenicali. “They are the protagonists that you feel connected to. But it has to be real. Otherwise it will boomerang. That’s why we’re working with the American federation to invest in this area.”
“It’s certainly a journey that won’t be easy to accomplish. It will take time, but we’re looking at it and it will certainly have a big impact. From a commercial point of view or from the point of view of a promoter running the business in the US wants to develop, a woman or a man as a driver would be very important.”
Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei points out that Formula 1 already has an American team in Haas, owned by NASCAR co-owner Gene Haas and based in Kannapolis, Northern California.
US drivers in Formula 1 only a matter of time?
“I think with an event like the one in Las Vegas and all the other things we’re doing in the US, it’s only becoming more likely that we’ll have an American driver soon,” believes the head of the US company that bought the rights to Formula 1 in autumn 2016.
Michael Andretti, owner of an IndyCar team, is also still interested in his own Formula 1 team, for which he has already agreed to use an American driver, Colton Herta. Herta will test a Formula 1 car this year as part of a development agreement with McLaren.
The last full-time American driver in Formula 1 was Scott Speed, who drove for Toro Rosso in 2006 and 2007 before the team fired him mid-season.