How Formula 1 is shifting gears in the U.S.

WAMU 88.5 | By Barb Anguiano

Published March 13, 2024 at 7:56 PM EDT

Pierre Gasly of France driving the (10) Alpine F1 A523 Renault on track during the F1 Grand Prix of Las Vegas at Las Vegas Strip Circuit in Las Vegas, Nevada.

It’s a day at the races for 1A!

The US already has a rich motorsport history thanks to race series likeNASCARandIndyCar.

But in the last few years, a certain sound has been getting louder and louder in America – the sound ofFormula 1.

The popularity of F1 in the US skyrocketed afterLiberty Media bought Formula 1 in 2017. Netflix’sDrive to Survivehelped boost interest in the sport (for both new and old fans) during the height of the pandemic. Netflix’s series has remained popular ever since and is now in itssixth season.

F1 introduced two new races in the US (in Miami and Las Vegas) to the season calendar, with the added speculation that there may be more on the horizon.

But among all the glitz and glamor, F1 is not withoutcontroversies, which could make it a hard sell for American audiences.

So how does Formula 1 fit into America’s legacy car racing scene? What would it take for the U-S to fully embrace the sport?

It’s lights out and away we go into the world of Formula 1 as we hear from authors Jonathan Clegg and Joshua Robinson of the Wall Street Journal. We also hear from Sarakshi Rai, former Formula One correspondent and a fan who’s built a community around the sport.