Debatable? 'Formula 1 shows no respect for American racing traditions'
General
- Ludo van Denderen
The news was no surprise: the Canadian Grand Prix and the annual race in Monaco will switch places on the calendar from the 2026 season. This is because Formula 1 wants to put in group as many Grands Prix regionally as possible, reducing the need to travel, which in turn is better for the environment. As a result, the Canadian Grand Prix and the Indy 500 could happen at the same time. And that would be little understood in the United States.
The Monaco Grand Prix and the Indy 500 were always scheduled on the same day. That never made the fans choose between one or the other because of the time difference. But the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal and the race in Indianapolis would be finished (almost) simultaneously. A rival F1 website - which partly targets the US market - speaks of "a mistake" if Formula 1 decides to put the race in Canada directly opposite the Indy 500.
After all - the thought goes as - the Indy 500 is almost sacred to Americans, and virtually no one will watch the Grand Prix. Moreover, it quotes one Kate, an American F1 fan who had been asked why Formula 1's US viewership market is not growing (anymore)? The answer was: "F1 shows no respect for American racing traditions."
Should F1 adapt to America?
It is a typical American comment. Americans never cared about Formula 1, but since the Netflix series Drive to Survive, they have taken notice of the sport, and so it must all go the way they wish. It is anyone's guess what exactly this Kate means by 'American racing traditions', but it could just be about bringing a safety car into the track every so often (in an artificial way with stages), so that there are restarts and therefore chances of crashes. Or is it about lots of entertainment around and during the races?
In any case, it is clear that Americans would rather not see Formula 1 compete with the Indy 500. In other words: Formula 1 should just adapt to us. Let's face it: Formula 1 has already adapted a lot to America in recent years. There are even three races in the US, which in itself is fine given the size of the country. The upcoming Las Vegas Grand Prix will host the final event in the country, and it became clear in 2023 that the track guarantees spectacle.
F1 in the United States is not a highly-viewed sport
But neither should everything be given up for a different market. Although the impression is different, Formula 1 is still a marginal sport in the United States. On average, 1.3 million people watch the Grands Prix. That is often less than the number of people watching it in the much smaller Netherlands. Therefore, Formula 1 should not lose sight of the fact that the sport has its main market in Europe, where most of its fans still are. In order not to alienate them, it is important to focus on that. And Europeans are not at all waiting for the Indy 500, as the ratings have shown for years.
So Formula 1 should not care about any criticism of programming the Canadian Grand Prix at the same time as the Indy 500. Because it is clear which event ultimately attracts the most viewers globally, and that is not the race in the state of Indiana.
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