“Inflation has hit F1,” Kyle Petty mocks Formula 1 team principle’s absurd US fanbase claim
NASCAR recorded 2.7 million recurring viewers per race in 2022, while F1 drew in 1.3 million in 2022.
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Christian Horner and Kyle Petty
Formula 1, NASCAR’s open-wheel counterpart, has been investing in a lot of the US market recently. The lucrative American market has always been one of the top-priority targeted audiences of the European series. Still, every attempt it made in the past to grow produced zero output. The Netflix docu-series “Drive to Survive,” featuring the dramatic representation of the F1 season, has been a big success in America and is attracting more fans.
But Formula has a long way to establish itself due to the existence of the IndyCar series and the Premier stock Car racing championship, NASCAR. Formula 1 Championship-winning team Red Bull launched their 2023 F1 Challenger in an event in Ney York. Reigning F1 Champion Max Verstappen and his teammate Sergio Perez were present at the event alongside the Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.
During the event, Horner made some bold claims about F1’s fan base in the US. He said, “This is the first time we have launched our season outside of the UK and the first time any F1 team has launched in the USA. The growth of our sport in America cannot be ignored, there are over 50 million F1 fans in the USA, of which 72% follow us, and the way the fans have embraced our team here has been very special,”.
NASCAR Truck Series driver Parker Klingerman came across the quotes and took to Twitter to express his doubts over the F1 boss’s claim. NBC Sports broadcaster and podcast host Nate Ryan replied to the driver’s Tweet and revealed the absurdity of the claims.
He wrote, “Imagine having 50 million fans in America, but a maximum of roughly 1 million watches each race on U.S. TV networks. Amazing!” Kyle Petty, one of the guest commentators on NBC, came across his Ryan comments. In reply to Ryan’s tweet, Petty wrote, “ Dang, inflation has hit F1 also! Is nothing sacred!”
Discover more: Christian Horner confesses Red Bull’s 2023 car will be ‘somewhat different’ than shown in NY launch event
America’s only F1 driver Logan Sargeant predicts a Formula 1 takeover in the near future
Logan Sargeant landed his dream F1 ride with Williams. Though they are one of the backpackers of the championship, it’s a big opportunity to prove himself to the world as they are just 20 seats for taking in F1. He has positive hopes for his growth in F1 and the sport’s growth in the US Market.
“I think for coming into the sport straight into a year where there are three U.S. Grands Prix is a special opportunity and a privilege at the same time, I think F1 in America is clearly at its peak, and it is still on the way up, which is a massive positive. You can see how many questions from friends and family and how curious people are about the sport, it does show how much it is growing in America,” Logan Sargeant said.
“I don’t think back in the day anyone (in the U.S.) really cared or anyone really understood what it was, It’s funny, people text me now and say ‘I realize how big of a thing this could eventually be or how big F1 really was. Obviously, there’s a lot of diehard NASCAR and IndyCar fans who don’t always like it, but I think the way the sport’s going in America, if it’s not already, I think it will be the biggest shortly,” Logan Sargeant added.
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Justin P Joy
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