There was arguably no better moment to prove how much Formula 1 has grown in recent years than when it suddenly became a topic in the United States presidential debate.
Formula 1 had been fighting a losing battle against NASCAR and IndyCar to make an impact on the other side of the Atlantic.
The 2005 United States Grand Prix, where only six drivers took part in the race at Indianapolis, was a farce, and there was a point when it looked like F1 may never recover Stateside.
However, Liberty Media have done a phenomenal job marketing Formula 1 in the United States, and Drive to Survive has opened up the sport to a whole new audience.
There are now three races in the USA every year in Miami, Austin and Las Vegas, and the sport even caught the attention of 2024 presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
She shared how much she loved watching F1, and why she’s a fan of Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton.
Kamala Harris previewed Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari in F1 fan admission
Harris was a guest on the Howard Stern Radio Show in October 2024 in the build-up to the presidential election against Donald Trump.
Talking about her interests outside of politics, F1 came up, and she said: “It’s so good – we love it, our whole family does.
“Oh, god no [liking F1 wasn’t a campaign tactic]! I haven’t been able to watch it a lot recently because I am campaigning.
“Also, depending on where they are driving, the time of day.”
Harris was asked who her favourite driver was and replied: “Lewis Hamilton, of course.
“He’s leaving Mercedes. You should see it [F1], you might get hooked, it’s good stuff,” Harris remarked when Stern admitted he had never watched the sport.
Formula 1 have no current plans to expand further into the United States despite growing popularity
F1 has a long history in the United States, with the Indy 500 part of the original championship between 1950 and 1960.
Cities such as Dallas, Detroit and Long Beach, California have also hosted races in the past, while the original Las Vegas Grand Prix was held in the car park of the Caesars Palace casino.
Despite the sport’s growing popularity, Formula 1’s director of race promotions, Louise Young, spoke about the sport’s future in the USA on the James Allen on F1 Podcast and explained: “Yeah, we also talk about the fact that we have six across North and South America when you take into account Montreal, Sao Paulo, Mexico.
“So, for now, at the moment, we have just renewed Austin through to 2034. Of course, Vegas, as you mentioned, is our own bet, and Miami has a long-term contract.
“There are probably some other destinations in the US that would be interested to join us, but it then becomes a question of at what cost, as in which other event would give way.
“So for now, three in the US is the plan.”
READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton once surprised Jeremy Clarkson with his reason for joining Mercedes from McLaren
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