McLaren CEO Zak Brown has identified the area where Formula 1 needs to step up in order to boost its popularity in the United States.
“We have three fantastic Grands Prix in the U.S., and while I believe we could stage four or even five, that would come at the expense of other markets we need to enter. So I’m happy with where we are because I really think there are other growth opportunities: South Africa, Korea, and similar places,” Brown said in an interview with RacingNews365.
“I think TV ratings are still relatively low compared with the NFL and other leagues. This is the biggest area for growth — increasing television viewership,” he added.
Formula 1 has seen a surge in popularity in the U.S. following the success of the Netflix series “Drive to Survive,” but the sport still lags behind traditional American sports in terms of broadcast audiences. Brown’s comments suggest that while the number of live events is adequate for now, expanding the TV audience remains the key challenge for F1’s long-term growth in the American market.
