Domenicali pleased with growing popularity in the United States: "Previously, F1 was too arrogant"

Stefano Domenicali has indicated that he believes that, for a while, the sport was "too arrogant" to truly take off in the United States. The head of Formula 1 is pleased to see the premier motorsport experiencing significant growth in popularity within the United States, but he attributes that mainly to the input of Liberty Media, which required a change in mindset, Domenicali explained to Speedcafe.

Over the past few years, Formula 1 has experienced a significant growth in popularity among American fans, particularly in terms of television viewership and social media followers, which have both skyrocketed. The sport wasted no time in capitalizing on this trend, as last year they promptly added a Grand Prix in Miami to the calendar. This year, another new Grand Prix is scheduled in the United States, this time in Las Vegas.

Domenicali: "New way of thinking made F1 more popular"

Traditionally, the United States has always been a challenging place for Formula 1, but since Liberty Media acquired the commercial rights for the sport, that seems to have changed. According to F1 boss Domenicali, this is because Liberty Media has brought a new way of thinking to the sport.

"The reason why Formula 1 has never been a great success in the United States is because we were too arrogant," Domenicali states. "We came to the country thinking that American fans would understand what Formula 1 was and what we stood for, but we never took the time to really explain the sport to them, using the right language."

Domenicali: "Strikiking the right balance between traditional F1 and the modern era is important"

According to Domenicali, the traditional mindset was that "we went to the US for the weekend and believed that everyone had a huge interest in us." That's where things went wrong, Domenicali believes, "because that simply wasn't the case." With the arrival of Liberty Media, they gained a better understanding of what the American fans needed from the sport, and as a result, the popularity of Formula 1 has grown.

In addition, Formula 1 has become more accessible thanks to social media. Fans from all over the world can now engage with the sport, and it has become easier to reach a younger demographic. According to Domenicali, it is important to strike a good balance between the sport's traditional foundation and modern commercial requirements. "The younger generation wants to be more involved in the sport, and social media allows for that. But the old guard also wants to enjoy traditional racing, and that is important too," said Domenicali.