Whitmarsh would like to see two Grand Prix in the United States
Formula One has not set its wheels in the United States since 2007, when Lewis Hamilton won on the Indianapolis circuit. F1 will return in 2012, but for the president of the FOTA, F1 needs to make a big impact in the United States.
As the USA prepares to host a Grand Prix again in 2012 in Austin, McLaren director and FOTA president, Martin Whitmarsh, believes that F1 must establish itself in the United States. «We need to conquer America because in the past, we haven’t done enough.» He outright suggests holding two races per year there. «To have an appropriate marketing program to spark interest. We cannot just have a race there and then go home, we must try to do more than that.»
He is excited about the upcoming Grand Prix in Texas at Austin but thinks the Grand Prix should be held either on the East Coast or the West Coast. He mentions two places that could host the two races, which are Long Beach on the West Coast and around New York for the East Coast.
One thing is certain: Americans don’t have F1 culture, and for that, we need to be more present. The country of Uncle Sam represents such a vast market that F1 cannot pass up this opportunity, declares the president of FOTA. In the past, F1 didn’t have to sell itself; the fans came to us (…) We need to do much better. We need to go there, educate, explain, promote, and market our sport. Because as he points out, America doesn’t need us, but we can conquer it.
