Guenther Steiner Weighs in on the F1- NASCAR Supremacy Debate to Announce the Clear Winner

Formula 1’s rapid expansion in the United States is no joke. The sport already has three races planned for this year, and this commitment isn’t just baseless. The reason behind this is more revenue as the numbers continue to rise. After averaging nearly 950k viewers per weekend in 2021, it increased to a little over a million in 2022. But the journey is quite long.

Averaging over 70 million viewers, and a cumulative number of 1.54 billion, the global reach of the sport is unparallel. But the sport is still young when compared to other sports like NASCAR and IndyCar, which have been dominating the streets for decades. Amid the two, NASCAR continues to be on top of the charts, with over three million viewers on average this season so far, as per Sportsnaut. On the other hand, IndyCar posted its best numbers in six years in 2022, but with no precise numbers available. However, Haas boss Guenther Steiner may disagree with the numbers of IndyCar, as he hopes F1 will capture a strong market in the United States.

Steiner leads the only American team on the grid. Making his trip more valuable, the boss talked about the growth of Formula 1 in the US. For him, there’s a clear winner between NASCAR and F1. Speaking with Lemonde.fr, he banked for F1’s growth on the downfall of IndyCar, saying, “F1 is different from NASCAR [National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing] or IndyCar, but there’s room for everyone in the United States. And Formula 1 is making progress: when looking at the ratings, NASCAR is still number one at the moment, but IndyCar is falling behind. If we continue to do a good job, F1 can become the dominant motorsport discipline in the United States.”

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The optimism shown in Steiner’s comment is what the F1 bosses bank on as well. With around $240 million expected to be invested in the Las Vegas GP, the goal is clear.

Astonishing numbers backing Guenther Steiner

Among this year’s three races is the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, which garnered widespread attention last year when it drew a record-breaking 440,000 fans. But that’s not all. The season also includes the Miami race, which saw a record-breaking 2.58 million viewers in the US, as per NBC and the nighttime race on the Las Vegas Strip, featuring a straight is sure to be a thrilling spectacle for fans and drivers alike.

Several estimates state that over a billion dollars are to be poured into the local economy of Las Vegas during the GP weekend. It has been praised for the sport’s economic impact on communities, particularly in Las Vegas, where the upcoming Grand Prix is expected to be a boon for the local economy.

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It seems that Formula 1’s popularity is only set to soar, leaving fans eagerly anticipating what the future holds.