Formula 1 could be on his way back to Las Vegas in 2023, after the excitement of the 2021 season, it would seem that Formula 1 is beginning to make in roads in the tough US market.
With the debut of the Miami GP this coming season and the popular race in Texas, a third event could be added for the 2023 season.
The 2021 season was a landmark season for so many reasons, we had a title decider between two drivers on equal points, only the second time in the sports history, we had a new Drivers champion and also the US GP at Circuit of the Americas drew in 400,000 spectators, to watch the next chapter in the Lewis/Max battle.
The race held in October was able to produce a race, that did not disappoint, it felt different, it felt like American’s were ready to take to F1, our own James Tiller discussed this very fact, in an article, which can be found HERE.
“America seems to have embraced the sport as their own. Massive crowds turned up to the event, every single day, culminating in a huge trackside attendance on Sunday of 140,000 people with a total of nearly 400,000 fans over the course of the weekend”
James Tiller “HAS F1 FINALLY BROKEN INTO AMERICA?”
Las Vegas and Formula 1
As with USA in general Formula 1 has not had the best record with Las Vegas, with only 2 events held in the city in 1981 and 1982.
The track was set up in the car park of the Caesars Palace hotel, the temporary track was designed to be wide enough to promote overtaking, however the sweeping nature of the track put enormous strain on the drivers necks, with Nelson Piquet taking over 15 minutes to recover from heat exhaustion after securing the title in the 1981 season. The 1982 race did not fair any better being held in in intense heat. It was won by Michele Alberto and was the last time that the track was used for Formula 1.
The track was taken over by CART for two more years, who altered it to make almost oval like, but they didnt not return for the 1985 season.
LAS VEGAS 40 YEARS ON
Formula 1 have been in discussions with authorities in Las Vegas, with a potential race incorporating the famous “strip” being mentioned.
If COTA can secure a new deal with F1 and the addition of Miami from 2022 onwards, a new race in Las Vegas would give America 3 races in the country for the first time since 1982.
When Liberty Media took over Formula 1 in 2017, paying in excess of £3 billion for the privilege, they made it clear that the US market was a region that they wanted to “break”, it has taken a number of years and a few false starts, however it seems that the appetite for Formula 1 among American motorsports fans is increasing, it now up for Liberty Media and Formula 1 to give them a product they want.