On Mar. 30, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and Formula One announced that a street race in Las Vegas would take place in 2023. The sport will return to Sin City for the first time since 1984 when the sport raced at Caesars Palace. This time around, the entire Las Vegas strip will be used for the race, with the iconic road placed between turns 10 and 11. 

This announcement comes just a year after the sport announced a race in Miami for May 2022 that will take place at the Hard Rock Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins. The introduction of a third race in the United States is a part of a larger movement by the sport to create a bigger presence in the nation. The popularity of the sport has significantly increased since the introduction of the Netflix original series “Drive to Survive” which provides viewers with an inside look into the drama of the sport. 

In the United States, motorsport has always been dominated by NASCAR and Indycar, but the recent rise in popularity of Formula One may signal a change in the duopoly of motorsport and the introduction of a third race is only one indicator. Another possible catalyst for an increase in the popularity of the sport in the United States would be the introduction of a proposed Andretti Motorsport team. Mario Andretti — who is thus far the only American to be crowned Formula One World Champion — has been heavily involved in running his own team since he retired from motorsport. Andretti founded Andretti Motorsport, which currently competes in the IndyCar Series, Indy Lights, Indy Pro 2000, and Formula E. In light of the significant growth of Formula One in the United States, Andretti proposed an entrance into Formula One earlier this year. While the sport seems to be reluctant to the entrance of new teams, citing that they are happy with the current lineup of teams, Andretti’s entrance would provide a significant boost in the American Market.

Along with Andretti Motorsport, another exciting development for the sport in the American market is the introduction of an American driver. Current IndyCar driver Colton Herta seems the most obvious choice for a seat in Formula One. Herta has shown massive potential in IndyCar and — given that he is only 21 years old — should be considered among the group of other Formula One worthy talents. Another is Logan Sargeant, who currently competes in Formula Two. Sergeant is also a test driver for Williams and is thus closer to Formula One by proximity than Herta. 

The expansion and rise in popularity of the sport within the United States are undoubted. The introduction of a third Grand Prix, the possibility of an American team, and the introduction of an American driver may be foreshadowing what is to come for the sport’s popularity stateside.