Daniel Ricciardo believes Formula One is growing in the United States but suggests an American driver would help increase awareness.
The United States Grand Prix has been held in Austin, Texas since 2012, with the race becoming a firm favourite for the F1 fraternity. However, amid uncertainty over the race’s funding based on its economic impact in the area, this year saw the organisers add Taylor Swift to the concert line-up in an attempt to boost ticket sales.
Ricciardo sees similarities between the current attitude towards F1 in America with how it used to be in Australia before Mark Webber joined the grid in 2002.
“It’s still below … in Australia and England and that, but it’s growing, it’s definitely growing,” Ricciardo told The Age about the race in Austin. “Like the last two years you can really see that, people know what Formula One is now.
“I sort of see it a bit like how Australia was pre-Mark Webber’s successful years. You know, the racing fan obviously knew it and knew Mark and knew a lot of the drivers, but not really if you walk up to someone on the street and they wouldn’t necessarily know … the name Michael Schumacher and maybe Mark Webber and that’s it.
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“I doubt it will ever be like an NBA and a baseball or anything, but yeah it’s growing [and] the awareness is there. It is cool, but you know, the Americans are just happy doing their thing. You can always sort of go under the radar somehow when you are over there.”
Alexander Rossi was the last American to race in F1 at the end of the 2015 season, driving for Manor but failing to secure a full-time seat and moving to IndyCar the following year.
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