With the release of three seasons of the popular Netflix docuseries ‘Drive to Survive’, and one season on the way, Formula 1 races have seen a huge soar in their viewership numbers, thanks to the US people. While F1 has always been considered the pinnacle of Motorsports, available only to the European elite, the executives are overjoyed that the fanbase is increasing by the day.

Now, F1, after entering the American market, wishes to give rivals like NASCAR and IndyCar a run for their money. To pump up the US audience, FIA has already announced two races in the country—one in Texas, and another in Miami. And F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has not totally rejected the idea of a third race in Las Vegas either!

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Even a few years ago, most of the Americans were not knowledgeable about the lavish, adventurous, and nerve-wracking journey of the F1 drivers and everyone else they might find in the paddocks. But now, Drive to Survive has provided them with an exclusive insider look into this fascinating sport. And the US fans are lapping up the seasons on Netflix ever since the first one got released back in 2019.

In a recent interview, Domenicali revealed that introducing a new F1 GP at Miami in the 2022 calendar has several agendas. One of them is that FIA wishes to spread the popularity of F1 in the USA. Previously, the fans have enjoyed spectacular races at the Circuit of The Americas, Texas. In a few weeks’ time, all eyes will be on Austin, Texas as the United States GP will be held there on 24 October.

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However, as FIA knows the US fans might want more, it has a strategic plan in place to take full advantage of the growing popularity of the sport in the country. When Domenicali was asked about the FIA’s plans for a third US venture, he said, “I would not discharge that possibility for sure.”

Speculations reveal the F1 personnel are eyeing a blockbuster GP in the Las Vegas Strip in Sin City.

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Previously, the Indianapolis Freeway has hosted F1 races from 2000 to 2007. When Bernie Ecclestone tried to commercialize the sport, he made a failed effort to hold a race in New York City. The Circuit of The Americas held its first race in 2012 and it has been a regular host ever since, with the exception of 2020, as the US Grand Prix had to be canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Indianapolis and Las Vegas have been a target for quite some time now.

Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren, is welcoming this newfound popularity of the sport in his home country. He acknowledged the huge viewership that the Netflix series pulled in and said, “I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how many times I’ve heard, ‘I knew nothing about F1, I never watched F1 — now I won’t miss an F1 race. Sometimes, these [sports docuseries] bring a casual kind of fan onboard and you get some awareness, but Netflix has taken people who didn’t follow F1 and turned them into diehards overnight.”

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So, with a packed calendar, new rules, and some exciting races, the next season of F1 definitely looks promising.

As for 2021, with only a handful of races left for this year, the Championship battle is going strong between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. The Turkish GP is going to take place in a few days and it might be significant in revealing the winner of the Drivers’ Championship. Only time can tell what is in store for the fans and the F1 drivers too!