F1 still enjoying “solid growth” in USA

In brief

F1 still enjoying “solid growth” in USA

F1 owners Liberty Media say the series is continuing to attract strong viewing figures in the USA, notwithstanding a one-sided contest in which only one team, Red Bull, have won every race so far.

Liberty Media president and CEO Greg Maffei told investors this month the series has “seen particularly solid growth in the US” this year. “Viewership on ESPN is up season to date versus the 2022 average viewership with strong F1 TV performance as well,” said Maffei.

“The 2023 season has already seen three of the four largest live audiences in F1 history on US TV, including Miami, Monaco and the Canadian GPs. All but two of our races have averaged more than one million viewers. Huge numbers for the US market.”

Beyond the US market, interest in F1 is continuing to rise globally, he added. “We continue to have sell-outs at almost all races. The sprint weekends are driving year-over-year growth in viewership. For example, the Spa total audience across race, sprint shoot-out and qualifying was up versus the Belgian GP last year.”

Rahal relished fight without “DRS crap”

Graham Rahal spent the final laps of yesterday’s IndyCar race chasing down eventual winner Scott Dixon, the pair separated by less than half a second at the chequered flag.

Dixon had saved more of his push-to-pass speed boost for the final laps, which helped him keep Rahal out of range. Despite his defeat, Rahal said afterwards IndyCar’s overtaking aid creates better racing than F1’s Drag Reduction System.

“Because of his race pattern being so much more fuel saving, he had a lot more overtake at one stage,” said Rahal. “We were catching him at the end. He was starting to use overtake. At one point he had 60 seconds more than me. I think at the end we ended up equal. He was using it to stay ahead of me.

“That’s what I kind of love about our version of overtake frankly. It’s a mano-a-mano battle. You use it offensively, defensively. None of this DRS crap that makes it easy.”

Iconic move ? pic.twitter.com/xoHhQVujrZ

— Andretti Autosport (@FollowAndretti) August 12, 2023

Car felt good all weekend. Got stuck in the lap 1 chaos and our day finished with a mechanical on the last lap.
But the car was fast and consistent
Thought we could have had a chance at a great finish

— Romain Grosjean (@RGrosjean) August 12, 2023

The last time Scott Dixon went winless in an IndyCar season was the year Toyota struggled massively with the downsized engines.

The only other time that happened? His team in CART folded mid-season and he landed in a Ganassi spare car to finish the year.

— RJオコンネル ???…