My Top 5 reasons F1 has a hard time in North America.

"Robert Maxwell" (madmax13d)
02/21/2014 at 03:47 • Filed to: F1

1. There is too few races in North America.

With the exceptions of periods in the 70s and 80s where multiple races were in the US, as well as the Canadian GP, there has been two or fewer races in North America for at least the last 20 years. If your going to want fandom to build up in a country, you need consistency, which F1 hasn't provided.

2. 2005 was a mistake.

USGP 2005 in Indianapolis is in the top 10 for the worst F1 races of all times. To say that what is lauded as "the pinnacle of motorsport," cannot figure out how to go around a long banked corner without bursting it's tires, when "low tech" American cars have been doing it for almost 100 years, is pathetic. This leads me to point #3.

3. No Respect was Given to American racing Heritage

We have already have had a series of great venues for racing. We've produced more drivers for F1 then any other countries save the UK. They've disrespected Indy. They've had a wildly successful event at Watkin's Glen. Even Long Beach was a good venue. They've left both. However, F1 has continually shown to both American racers and American fans that it's better for American drivers to support domestic racing series because F1 has repeated mistreated American fans and racers.

4. Lack of American talent involved with series.

Either on the engineering end, or on the driving end. Reasons discussed above. American domestic series are lucrative enough to where drivers will not look elsewhere. I think Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordan and Jimmy Johnson could have had competitive F1 careers. Also, F1 politics are a topic onto itself, where top tier drivers leave F1 for other disciplines. Dario Francitti (sp) is an example of that.

5. The existing drivers have no personality.

Of the current drivers, I really think only two have the public charisma to be popular here. Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton don't really read off a script, and that would play well here. Vettel with a cowboy hat is just kind of insulting it's so bland.... F1 prior to the takeover of Herr Schumacher (It's not his fault, he was interesting) had drivers who where more interesting. Senna, Prost, Piquet, and Mansall alone have twice the charisma of the entire field themselves.

These are just my thoughts, be sure to add your own in the comments section.

DISCUSSION (20)

The man in the iron mask > Robert Maxwell
02/21/2014 at 03:56

I know you speak in general but damn, talk about successful races, the austin GP was full to the top, not only americans but mexicans assist to go to see the 2 mexican drivers on the grid.

Kinja'd!!!

Nerd-Vol > Robert Maxwell
02/21/2014 at 03:58

It is decidedly fan unfriendly compared to NASCAR or Indy.

Robert Maxwell > The man in the iron mask
02/21/2014 at 03:59

I thought Perez was the only Mexican national on the Grid? Maldonado is Venezuelan.

YSI-what can brown do for you > Robert Maxwell
02/21/2014 at 04:07

What I don't understand is, why they went and built a track in texas for F1, when there is Road America up in Wisconsin. They best track in America!

Robert Maxwell > YSI-what can brown do for you
02/21/2014 at 04:22

I agree with that assessment. Realistically, they'd have more then one GP in the USA, and make it a regional thing.

Nerd-Vol > YSI-what can brown do for you
02/21/2014 at 04:22

There probably isn't shit to do in the area surrounding track. It also might not meet fia/f1 specs.

YSI-what can brown do for you > Nerd-Vol
02/21/2014 at 04:25

I don't think it does. It is lacking in run off area. It is a great track though, and it next to a small beautiful town. Plus the track is surrounded by trees. So when the cars fly by the echo, it is epic!!! There isn't much to do besides the track though. Although, isn't that the case with a lot of tracks.

t_s > Robert Maxwell
02/21/2014 at 04:26

I would add that F1 has a hard time pretty much everywhere because it gives fans bugger all access unless they possess a famous pair of boobs or are orange. I was in Houston last year for work and managed to spend a day at the Indycar race at Reliant Stadium. I was astounded at how much access I got for an extremely moderate cash outlay. To replicate that amount of access to the paddock, the pits and the track at my local F1 event (Monza) would cost me upwards of seven hundred euros. US racing, from my experience, is all about fan accessiblity and that's what makes it such a massive success. Your point about respect is also extremely valid. Europeans have their heads up their backsides when it comes to US racing. Bernie-era F1 crossed the Atlantic with so much arrogance that they ended up alienating a massively competent fanbase, friends and colleagues from the USA who are interested in motorsport tend to have a much greater knowledge about racing than their European counterparts.

Squid > Robert Maxwell
02/21/2014 at 04:28

In all fairness, Tony Stewart is far too heavy to even consider being competitive in F1. Jimmy Johnson and Jeff Gordon have the size but I think they lack the skill set to be competitive in F1. I'd like to see any of those three in a touring car race though. Our county is so obsessed with long circular races because that is the only racing that gets covered. I'd like to see more touring car races than nascar. Then again I'd also like to see F1 race Laguna Seca...

Nerd-Vol > YSI-what can brown do for you
02/21/2014 at 04:30

Yeah. It is an amazing track up there it might be pretty expensive to bring it up to fia specs.

Well Austin is a pretty vibrant city, so is Indy. Mind you there are some dull cities on the circuit, silverstone, spa...

The man in the iron mask > Robert Maxwell
02/21/2014 at 04:57

Esteban gutierrez is mexican as well

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > Robert Maxwell
02/21/2014 at 04:58

Esteban Gutierrez for Sauber.

Robert Maxwell > Squid
02/21/2014 at 05:48

I agree at the present date about Tony Stewart.... I'm talking about when he was younger, he was quite a great formula driver himself. With Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon, I think my point was more around the fact that they had the talent, it's just our country doesn't actively use it's best driving talent on F1. Take either Jeff Gordon or Tony Stewart out of midgets, and put them in karts, and I really think they'd have the talent to be competitive at that level.

f86sabre > Nerd-Vol
02/21/2014 at 07:29

This. You would have to essentially neuter the great American tracks to bring them within FIA safety specs. It is not worth it.

tomtom615 > Robert Maxwell
02/21/2014 at 07:51

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

I'm sorry, but you're wrong. Kimi Raikkonenen it udder hilarious and has some of the driest wit in the world. Mark Webber had quite a personality too, fans loved him. Alonso is one of the fiercest competitors in all of racing. Sutil tried to stab a man with a champagne flute. There is no shortage of personality in F1.

Frankly, the series I find lacking in personality is NASCAR. You went from Earnhardt, Wallace, "Awesome" Bill Elliot, and Terry Labonte, all of which always had something funny to say, to Jimmie Johnson. Johnson may have 6 championships, but he has 0 interesting things to say. You could argue that Tony Stewart is the only personality in NASCAR today.

911e46z06 > Robert Maxwell
02/21/2014 at 10:01

6. NASCAR is way more fun and way more entertaining. Trying to get interested in Formula 1 as a NASCAR fan is like trying to get interested in Soccer as a Football fan. Too much subtlety and not enough action.

Also, far and away the largest base of racing fans in the US is the South, and the South (to make an enormous, but I think accurate generalization) don't take kindly to the Formula 1 culture.

jgreen11 > Robert Maxwell
02/21/2014 at 12:42

1. By this standard, there would only be roughly 20 countries that are truly interested in F1, which is ridiculous.

2. I will agree that is was a huge mistake, but it is the past. If you stuck with this reasoning, then Silverstone is going to be complete shit and Britain's F1 interest will decline over the next few years.

3. Although I would love to see F1 roam the streets of Detroit and race at the Glen, I fear that the FIA requirements for a track are the limiting factors here due to safety. With this being the reason, I am perfectly fine not having them at these venues.

4. This is probably the most important factor as to why the US has a minimal interest. But realistically there are no current avenues for a young American to grow into F1 like there are overseas. This means that at a young age you have to dedicate yourself to living overseas and pursuing that. The reason that people leave the sport for other disciplines is because there are only 20 - 30 seats in F1. With 40 or more in NASCAR, a large number in INDY, and WRC and other options available, if you don't have an avenue opening up before you, you need to make your own road by switching out. It sucks, but it makes sense for the drivers.

5. Complaining that drivers have no personality is like complaining that you don't have the President's personal phone number. It's pointless. They all have personalities and you can see that on and off the track. Big deal if they are no Senna, Lauda, Hunt, etc..

I do feel it is a shame that F1 isn't as big in the US as NASCAR or INDY, but it isn't the end of the world. We still have an amazing sport that we get to watch and be involved in. And now that we do have a race in the US, it is much easier for people to go to than before, which is huge.

Squid > Robert Maxwell
02/21/2014 at 12:59

I think one of the main reasons why nascar is so popular is that the middle of our country is full of 1/4 - 1/2 mile dirt tracks and there are races at the dirt tracks pretty much every weekend. Our country's driving talent gets pushed into the turn left mentality early because that is what is accessible. I'm sure that given the opportunity for any of those 3 drivers to develop they may have had a chance to compete in F1, but look at them now, JJ has a fuck ton of nascar championships and is pretty much the fucking man when it comes to driving in a circle for hours on end. I'd be happy with less nascar and more touring car races, I can take or leave F1 it is entertaining but I don't really enjoy having to be up at 5am to watch the races. and i'm now talking out my ass. . . yay sleep deprivation!

Robert Maxwell > tomtom615
02/22/2014 at 00:17

I commented on that in the body of the point. Kimi is only one driver out of over twenty.Mark Webber is now in WEC. I agree with you about NASCAR, but Tony Stewart is as engaging as any of the drivers in the golden age of NASCAR. I think there is more leeway for drivers to express themselves in NASCAR then there is in F1. I didn't want to make this about NASCAR vs F1, but I think the comparison is in popularity.

mwoodski > YSI-what can brown do for you
02/22/2014 at 12:50

You'd ruin Road America to host F1.