Two’s a company and three’s a crowd. This popular saying perfectly summarized the initial reaction toward the Las Vegas GP. The preparation for the star event of the year wreaked havoc in the lives of the locals as the entire Vegas strip was blocked. The circus also brought instant inflation to the entire city of Vegas, as it does to most venues. However, it was especially troublesome for the locals, with the 2023 edition being the inaugural event in Sin City. This leads us to question whether the growing number of races in the F1 calendar, especially in the US, is detrimental to the sport’s popularity in the sub-continent.

Even though the Vegas weekend received a lot of flak, it pooled in a lot of money and was very lucrative, which helped counter some of the criticism. The eventful and entertaining race also helped the cause, although the ticket prices had to be slashed to attract fans to the circuit a week before the showdown. However, the general perception is still that the Las Vegas GP was one race too many in America alone. Couple this with the aspect that the Las Vegas GP was added to the calendar, and it did not replace any other venue. This greed to race at every desirable venue is making the calendar inhumane and, we believe, as a matter of personal perspective separate from general opinion, it will backfire on the sport. Let’s first look at the fans’ perspective.

With the New York GP on the cards, do fans want to see 4 or perhaps 5 races in America?

The circus’s aspiration to race in America is not new. F1 has made countless attempts in the past to race in the States and has even done so, but has been largely unsuccessful in generating the hype with the race in Indianapolis as the prime example. However, that all changed Liberty Media’s takeover, and Netflix’s Drive to Survive made substantial contributions in rejuvenating excitement in F1, especially in the US. However, this newfound love for the circus is doing more bad than good.

Firstly, three races in America are already one too many according to many fans. If the fear of saturation wasn’t evident enough, the sport is also trying to bite into the Big Apple. According to reports, the record 24 race calendar in 2024 is just a start. By 2030, F1 wants to host 30 races in a season out of which they plan to conduct 5 in the US alone. So on top of the existing three, and potentially the New York GP, the sport is planning to add another venue in the US.

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The concerning factor is that there are still no concrete plans to bring F1 to the continent of Africa. Because of financial reasons, F1 did not consider the iconic venue of Kyalami. Apart from the African continent, the sport is not tapping into the raw potential of the second most populous country in the world as well. After one race on the Buddh circuit, the circus hasn’t returned to India as well as its current obsession with the US keeps growing.

Read More: Red Bull Boss Christian Horner Earmarks “Big Apple” as the Dream Destination for Fourth Race in America: “What a Spectacle That Would Be”

This disparity in the increasing races and missing venues points toward only one agenda: financial gain. Otherwise, we would see a more diverse calendar instead of one continent and its fanbase squeezed to saturation and beyond. The increasing number of races in America alone isn’t just making F1 lose fans, but it might end up making them lose world champions as well.

The absurdly lengthy calendar will be the end of longevity in F1

The 22-race season has already taken a toll on the drivers and the people traveling with the circus. This will only get worse in the 2024 season with the record number of races in a season. This has slowly become a concern for everyone on the grid, as many drivers have voiced their discontent and threatened to retire.

Max Verstappen is the flag bearer of this injustice. The reigning world champion had already threatened to retire early from the sport. He said, “We could have already today more than 30, even 32 Grands Prix because everyone wants one. Naturally, of course, I hope that there won’t be too many changes, otherwise, I won’t be around for too long.”

Recently, Fernando Alonso also joined this movement. Alonso admitted it wouldn’t be his age or dip in quality that would force him to retire again if the season became too exhausting. Speaking to Total Motorsport, he stated, “But it could be that with the calendar and with the demanding schedule and things like that one day, I will feel that it’s time. Because there are other things in life.”

WATCH THIS STORY: Will F1 Bring Back the South African GP at Kyalami to the Calendar? 

This desire to milk the rising popularity of the sport in the US alone will eventually come across as F1 catering to only one set of fans. For a global sport like F1, this isn’t a good look and we believe three is the limit and the F1 owners need to focus on different fanbases.

Editorial Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of EssentiallySports.