Key Highlights:
- Former Formula 1 CEO Chase Carey revealed that New York was one of only three targeted U.S. destinations evaluated by Liberty Media, alongside Miami and Las Vegas.
- While Austin’s Circuit of the Americas remained a cornerstone event, F1 determined that a New York race was realistically unachievable, directing focus exclusively toward Florida and Nevada.
- Both selected expansion venues secured massive long-term commitments, keeping the Miami Grand Prix on the schedule through at least 2041 and the Las Vegas Grand Prix through 2037.
Liberty Media’s Early Blueprint for American Expansion
Following Liberty Media’s acquisition of Formula 1, leadership set out with an explicit mission to build a broader, high-impact footprint across the United States. Speaking at the second edition of the Autosport Business Exchange held at the Manhattan Motorcars showroom in New York City, former F1 Chairman and CEO Chase Carey outlined the narrow criteria leadership used when evaluating potential American host cities. Carey, who led Formula 1 from 2017 until current CEO Stefano Domenicali assumed the role in 2021, explained that the championship intentionally bypassed conventional tracks in favor of destination-driven, globally recognized markets.
The business forum gathered prominent figures across sports, automotive, and media industries. Alongside Carey, the panel featured Christian Horner making his first U.S. appearance since departing Oracle Red Bull Racing, seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, General Motors President Mark Reuss, Penske executive Jonathan Gibson, and NASCAR Chief Operating Officer Tim Clark. During a featured on-stage discussion moderated by Fox Business anchor Liz Claman, Carey detailed how critical the American commercial landscape was to the sport’s global health from the very beginning of his tenure.
Iconic Destinations: Narrowing the Shortlist to Three Cities
Carey highlighted that targeting the United States was central to driving both brand sponsorship and media ecosystem growth across the entire championship. The U.S. is important, not just because of the size of the audience here, but it drives global media. A lot of the brands and franchises that drive the entertainment media world come out of the U.S.
Carey explained during the session.
He further elaborated on how commercial partnerships influenced this strategic direction: I think they had about 300 partners already. I think over half are U.S.-based entities. They may be little companies, but they’re U.S. based. So, the U.S. is an incredibly important market for us. We needed a bigger footprint. We wanted a bigger footprint to grow it. But if we went into the U.S., there are only certain places we could be.
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That necessity for high-visibility spectacle led F1 to consider only three specific locations to complement the existing United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas. And I said, ‘Look, our locations need to be iconic locations that wow people.’ There were three. We have a great race in Austin. It’s a fabulous race. I hope everybody who has a chance to go this weekend enjoys it. It’s a great experience.
But we wanted to add to that where we felt we could. But there were only three locations we thought that really made sense for us at that point. It was New York, Miami and Las Vegas. New York, we realistically recognised wasn’t going to happen. So, Miami and Las Vegas became places we thought we could expand that footprint, expand our presence and add that as a building block to the sport in the U.S.
Why This Matters
The strategic choice to pivot away from a complex New York street race concept and double down on Miami and Las Vegas has shaped Formula 1’s commercial trajectory over the past decade. Hosting a Grand Prix in or around New York City had long been an elusive goal for Formula 1 leadership, but logistical hurdles, local governmental approvals, and infrastructure limitations repeatedly stalled proposed concepts. By acknowledging early on that New York was not viable, Liberty Media successfully accelerated negotiations elsewhere.
The resulting races have since become multi-decade pillars of the Formula 1 World Championship calendar. Miami made its debut around Hard Rock Stadium in 2022, while the night race on the Las Vegas Strip joined the roster in 2023. Backed by long-term contract extensions, Miami is secured on the calendar through at least 2041, while Las Vegas holds a confirmed spot through at least 2037, solidifying a stable trio of American Grands Prix alongside Austin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Formula 1 rule out hosting a Grand Prix in New York?
As Chase Carey noted during the Autosport Business Exchange, Formula 1 leadership realistically recognized that staging a race in New York was simply not going to happen, leading the organization to focus its resources on destinations where street races could be logistically executed.
Which cities were chosen for Formula 1’s American expansion?
Formula 1 selected Miami and Las Vegas to expand its presence alongside the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
How long will Formula 1 race in Miami and Las Vegas?
Formula 1 has signed extensive long-term agreements with both venues, ensuring the Miami Grand Prix remains on the racing calendar through at least 2041 and the Las Vegas Grand Prix runs through at least the end of 2037.
