The expansion of F1 in the United States has been one of the best developments for the sport in recent years. Not only did it fulfill Liberty Media’s quest to fill their pockets, but it also attracted new fans and created opportunities for further investment.
The result? An estimated $600 million cash injection into the inaugural Las Vegas GP, which has since become one of the most sought-after race weekends on the calendar. Much credit also goes to Netflix for making F1 a household name in the U.S. with Drive to Survive.
And this is just the beginning. Hollywood star Brad Pitt is set to release his own movie, F1, produced by Dawn Apollo Productions, a company owned by seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton.
George Russell, Hamilton’s former teammate, welcomes this. He recently spoke about the appeal of races in the U.S., insisting that they are a different world.
“I mean, every race now is like a mini Super Bowl. And it’s really cool that we go to all of these different countries because the culture is so different everywhere you go,” said Russell to Talksport.
“And even between the three American races, Miami, Vegas and Austin, it’s just like a totally different atmosphere every time you go there.”
We had a ball in Vegas #F1 #LasVegasGP @SphereVegas pic.twitter.com/LUKxu0Ra7q
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 26, 2024
F1 returned to the U.S. in 2012 after a five-year hiatus, with Austin selected as the venue for its comeback. Not only did it endure, but the calendar has since expanded to include two more U.S. races in just over a decade.
Will there be more to come?
Possibility of more races in the US
The Americas collectively host six races per season. With an already packed 24-race calendar, F1 has little room to add more races in the region, despite past rumors of an additional race in Chicago.
However, F1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali has ruled out further expansion in the United States, instead setting his sights on growth in Asia.
Meanwhile, there is a strong possibility of South Africa returning to the calendar, with the Kyalami circuit being proposed as a venue. Reports suggest it would require only minor upgrades to meet F1 standards.
Rwanda is also in the race to bring F1 back to Africa. Lewis Hamilton has been a vocal advocate for an African Grand Prix, and with a seven-time world champion actively lobbying, the sport is bound to take notice.
