Over the past few seasons, the often controversial relationship between the Formula 1 and the United States has been significantly strengthened, to the point that, starting from 2023, the world championship will host three appointments on American soil: the recent new entry in Miami, the more ‘classic’ Austin and the return of Las Vegas, albeit on a different track from the one that housed the Circus in the early 1980s in the vicinity of Caesars Palace. Thanks also to the Netflix docu-film ‘Drive to Survive’the popularity of F1 has in fact reached very high peaks in the country of Stars and Stripes, as never happened in the past.
To celebrate this union in the best possible way, only one element still absent today would be missing: a US pilot. In the last thirty years of racing, only three riders have taken off to compete at least one season, and only one of them has experienced the joy of the podium: this milestone was reached by Michael Andretti in 1993, third in an Italian Grand Prix which also became his last F1 presence. After him, in the two-year period 2006-2007, it was instead the turn of Scott Speedbefore the last all-American appearance of Alexander Rossi in 2015.
Consequently, the question arises: when will the next one arrive? There are some difficulties in this regard, explained by a seven-time world champion like Lewis Hamilton at the Miami GP press conference: “It doesn’t surprise me and I think it’s one cultural question – said the driver of the Mercedes – in the 16 years I have been here it has been a slow construction to try to make this sport understood, also because, unfortunately, Americans have to wake up at strange times to see the GPs. However, thanks also to the Netflix show, concrete steps have been taken that have generated a good fan base, and I think it’s time to focus on how to include more people. I’m sure there are extraordinary drivers and sporting talents, so the mission is to look for the next one ”.
A purpose that could also materialize through Haas, the only US team on the grid, albeit with other complexities listed by the team principal Günther Steiner: “There are two obstacles – admitted in an interview with site Crash.net – the first is that if as a team you don’t give an American driver what he thinks he deserves or expects, it’s not good for us. So why should we do this? Secondly, if the driver is not good enough, he is not good for the American market either. It has to be at least a success story. I believe that once upon a time the American drivers didn’t put much effort into getting into F1, because it’s very difficult ”.
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