Indycar champion and Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay says Formula 1 needs more races in the United States to crack the North American market.
Several venues have hosted the United States Grand Prix in the past, including the hallowed Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and now Circuit of the Americas is home to the F1 grand prix, but that is not enough to excite fans claims Hunter-Reay.
“It is so hard to crack the sporting market in the United States because it is so saturated. We have football, basketball, baseball – there are so many options you have to capture the fans’ attention,” Hunter-Reay told Sky Sports.
“I think Formula 1 racing in general can do it, but it is going to take more of a presence in the United States other than just a team that calls itself ‘USF1’ [or Haas F1 which makes its debut in 2016] even though it is based in the UK, which it has to be I think.”
“Hopefully we can get some more races over there, I’m not sure what the solution is, but I’m a fan of any success of motorsport in the United States.”
Recent F1 proposals have included a project in New Jersey and even a return to Long Beach – both have fizzled out.
In terms of career choice for professional drivers, Hunter-Reay says there are two paths a young driver can choose.
“I think it is really about a fork in the road very early in your career. If you want to be in Formula 1 you have to come up through the Formula 1 ladder which is in Europe and if you want to be an IndyCar driver you come up through the American ladder and that is just the way it is,” said the 2014 Indy 500 winner.