"It will be a boomerang" - F1 CEO wary of bringing in temporary American drivers
Amidst the announcement of a third Grand Prix in the United States in the 2023 F1 race calendar, CEO Stefano Domenicali commented on the possibility of having an American driver racing in the sport.
As reported by Motorsport, Domenicali claimed that they would have to be sure of the idea to make sure that their is a sustainable and successful outcome:
"It's important, because of course people are making the difference. They are the protagonists that everyone is connected to, with their faces, it is something that is always a reference. But it has to be real. It has to be quick, otherwise it will be a boomerang. That is why we are also working with the American federation to invest in that."
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He added:
"It's for sure a journey that is not easy to accomplish. It will take time, but it is in our focus. It will have for sure a very big effect. That is why we are working together, respecting the roles, but from the commercial point of view or from the organiser or promoter point of view, who wants to develop the business in the US."
F1 has seen exponential growth in the US with a growing fanbase as a result of Netflix docuseries Drive to Survive. The 2022 calendar added the inaugural Miami Grand Prix this season, in addition to the existing United States Grand Prix to be held at the Circuit of the Americas. The Las Vegas night race will make up for an exciting third Grand Prix in the country from next year onwards.
Liberty Media CEO believes F1 will "soon have an American driver"
Liberty Media Corporation, the company that holds ownership stakes in F1 and is largely the reason behind the sport's increasing popularity, is an American mass media company.
CEO Greg Maffei showed an even more significant interest in the prospects for an American F1 driver:
"I think having an event like this in Las Vegas, all the other things that we're doing in the US, it's only going to get more likely that we soon have an American driver."
“As an American team, having an #F1 race on American soil is incredibly important." -Haas | bit.ly/1jYURGp https://t.co/rQb1yzbrWW
While there are no American drivers on the current grid, Haas is an American constructor who has been competing in the sport since the 2016 season.