Is Formula 1 auto racing dead in the United States? If it is not dead it certainly is in critical condition following the fiasco of this past weekend's United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. To recap briefly, 14 of the 20 cars entered in this year's USGP withdrew from the race before the race began in protest of conditions they felt to be too dangerous. The Michelin tires on the 14 cars that withdrew were not considered capable of withstanding the strain of racing on the high speed track without a mid-race tire change which is prohibited by current Formula 1 rules. Consequently only 6 cars with Bridgestone tires remained to compete which angered and dismayed 150,000 race fans at the track and racing fans around the world.
Formula 1 is hugely popular around the world and each race is watched by a TV audience of nearly one billion viewers. Just as Soccer is a world favorite in every country except the United States, Formula 1 remains viewed as being foreign and somewhat mysterious to American fans. Even though the United States has hosted a Formula 1 race nearly every year since the modern era of F1 began in 1950, it has failed to find a broad audience over here.
The last six years, Formula 1 has visited the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a mid-season event. And for the last six years Ferrari has run away from the field without providing much drama or suspense. Lead changes, passes and or dramatic crashes have all been absent from the USGP (and most other Formula 1 races) along with Ferrari's absolute domination of the rest of the field have led to boring racing that is rich in nuance but light in spectacle. For American race fans it is hard to grasp the fervor that the rest of the world attaches to Formula 1.
America loves a race that runs in a straight line or in a neat circle as opposed to the irregularly shaped Formula 1 tracks. It is far more accessible for the average American to grasp that cars shaped similarly to their road machines running on tracks similar to a broad American highway. America's favorite form of auto racing, NASCAR, is designed to provide lots of lead changes, dramatic passing and the possibility of spectacular crashes.
Formula 1 is on probationary status with American auto racing fans. But it may be impossible to win the hearts and minds of fans used to accessible racing and drivers who show up on the track for the big events. Young American drivers wishing to make a career in auto racing will probably avoid Formula 1 careers just as young American athletes avoid soccer because there is a lack of support of the sport in their native country. And if there are no young American drivers climbing the ranks of Formula 1, it will even more difficult for Formula 1 to find a substantial audience in the US.