Liberty Media Corp. acquired the motor sport series from Bernie Ecclestone, who ruled it for nearly 40 years with the Wiselike Grip.
Observers said there is a need to modernize the game, explore new markets, attract younger audiences and increase its presence on social media.
mission accomplished. The popularity of Formula 1 has now increased to such an extent that there is more interest from the new venues than the dates available on the calendar.
“If we had the chance, it would have been easy to fill the calendar with 30 grands prix,” Formula 1 president and chief executive Stefano Domenicali said in an interview.
“It’s not that I want to do 30 grands prix, but it really shows the level of interest that Formula 1 has around the world.”
Formula 1, a binding contract between the FIA, the sport’s governing body, and the 10 teams known as the Concorde Agreement, limits the number of races per year to 24.
The record will be 23 this season with a new race in Miami in May. The following season, Formula 1 will return to Las Vegas after a 41-year absence, forming part of the city’s strip circuit.
“The first meeting with the officials in Las Vegas was a little cautious,” Domenicali said. “But they have embarked on the project that will really show the potential of our business.
“It was very important to make this deal because Vegas has a global footprint, and it is another step in the right direction of the larger vision needed for F1 for the future.”
With three Grands Prix in the United States including one in Austin, Texas, the next major obstacle for Formula 1 is a return to Africa.
Kyalami, a circuit north of Johannesburg, hosted Formula 1 from 1967 to 1985 and again in 1992 and 1993. A new deal is nearing completion.
“Johannesburg is definitely on our list,” Liberty chief executive Greg Maffee said in an interview. “You’d love to have one in Cape Town, but I’m not sure it’s doable, so Johannesburg is more likely.”
Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton said South Africa was a race “I want to hear the next announcement.”
“After all, my ancestors are from there, so it’s important to me personally,” he said. “It’s important to go there for sport. If they’re on every other continent, why not?”
“After all, my ancestors are from there, so it’s important to me personally,” he said. “It’s important to go there for sport. If they’re on every other continent, why not?”
Since Liberty took over, races have returned to France and the Netherlands, which are home to defending champion Max Verstappen, as well as new additions in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United States.
“There is a desire to potentially do another Asian race,” said Maffei. “We have an interest in moving back to Malaysia from places like Indonesia, and other South American countries, Argentina and Colombia.
“Stefano’s point about doing 30 races is valid. There’s obviously a lot of demand, but it’s about retaining that global audience, not saturating it.”
The problem for Formula 1 is that if the calendar expands to 24 races, either next year or in 2024, a more traditional event in Europe could be abandoned.
It could be the French Grand Prix as its contract expires after its next race in July. The expansion to Formula 1 has been discussed. It is also possible that the race may alternate with another European venue in the future.
Domenicali wants to preserve Formula 1’s stronghold in Europe, but has warned that races there will have to keep pace with the rate of development of events in other countries.
“To those who are saying that we are going too far to race in Europe and not being respectful, that is wrong,” Domenicali said.
“What we are doing is pushing the system to a different approach, forcing promoters to think big as the scale of the events we are organizing is getting bigger.”
Domenicali said Formula 1 had a “duty to ensure that there is a high level of professionalism, business, interest.”
Drivers and team principals feel it is important that Formula 1 finds a balance between welcoming the new and preserving the old.
“I can certainly understand that we need more races in the US to increase the popularity of F1, and we are happy to be there,” Verstappen, Red Bull driver, said.
“Of course, it’s also important to have some historical tracks on the calendar, which are really enjoyable to drive.”
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff praised Domenicali for “doing a great job” of balancing the playing venues, but also, from a financial point of view, in tapping into new spectators.
“It’s great to be in America with second and third races, especially in Miami and Las Vegas,” he said. “It doesn’t get any better.
“The truth is, I think most fans who watch Formula 1 via TV or social media don’t really care where we’re racing.”
The Las Vegas race will run into the night to show the city at 10 p.m. on Saturday. It will also allow European spectators to watch the race on Sunday morning.
With increasing attendance – a record three-day crowd of 420,000 attended the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, for example – in addition to Miami and Las Vegas, and the almost certainty that Formula 1 will return to South Africa, there is a feeling of sport. Has broken big time.
“I want to be humble, but I would say these are signs that we are moving in that direction,” Domenicali said. “If you look around, and I’m not at all disrespectful in terms of the international sporting stage, but I don’t see any other sport with such great momentum at the moment.”
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