Christian Horner, known for his candid expressions, has once again brought up an interesting topic. He suggests that a potential rivalry may unfold in the coming years between two automotive powerhouses, Ford and General Motors. However, Horner sees this rivalry as a positive development for the sport. According to him, the competition between these two giants could boost the popularity of Formula 1 in the United States.
While opening up upon the same Horner told SpeedCafe, “I’m sure a battle between Ford and GM (will help with the popularity of F1 in the US), those brands have huge patriotism in the US, and a huge following. You’re either a Ford fan or a GM fan, and the competition that could bring could be exciting, too.”
Before this, Ford had made public their plans in early 2023 about entering into a strategic partnership with Red Bull. In contrast, General Motors, as of now, has taken steps to become an engine supplier for F1 starting from 2028 through Andretti Autosport. Although Andretti has received approval from the FIA, it is still pending the green light from existing teams and Formula One Management (FOM).
The reason for this delay is that all teams feel that Andretti’s suggested diluting fee is too low. As a result, the teams have a general tendency to urge F1 officials to demand a larger entry price before accepting any new competitors.
Christian Horner gives the formula to maintain F1’s popularity in the US
The pinnacle of motorsport was a mysterious domain for many worldwide until Liberty Media joined forces with Netflix, altering the entire narrative. Notably, the region where this partnership made the most significant impact was America, with DTS leaving a lasting imprint.
However, even within this context, the driving force behind the surge in Formula 1’s popularity remained the younger generation, a viewpoint also shared by Christian Horner. According to the Red Bull team principal, the documentary series “Drive to Survive” played a pivotal role in bringing in new fans and opening up a new market in the United States.
Moreover, he credits the docuseries for influencing the U.S. decision to permit three F1 races annually, a possibility that was previously not considered. Nevertheless, amidst all the accolades, Christian Horner has unveiled the key formula for sustaining Formula 1’s popularity in the United States.
He said, “The number of fans is growing, the podiums are growing, but I think what Formula 1 needs to make inroads in the US in the long term is competitive American drivers, and a driver who races for wins.”
Concluding his remarks, Horner added that considering the emerging talent from the junior series, it’s only a matter of time before Formula 1 witnesses an increasing number of American drivers.
