Dharshini Karthikeyan - Week 8 - America's Entrance to Formula One
Formula One, otherwise known as F1, is an international racing competition in which the world’s best drivers compete against each other in highly dramaticized sporting events in order to win the title of “fastest driver in the world.” The sport has ten teams, and although it has been around since 1950, the first American team to join F1 was Haas in 2016. Haas is the youngest and only American team currently competing in Formula One, which raises the question of why America’s entry to the world’s most competitive and popular motorsport was so late.
America always strives to dominate international sports, with winning teams in sports ranging from lacrosse to snowboarding. Many people speculate the reason for this is for both encouraging American patriotism and in order to make a quick buck, since the U.S. makes more than 71 billion dollars from sports per year. Formula One is one of the most lucrative motorsports to date, and there are a multitude of reasons that can explain America’s late entrance to the sport.
One reason could be that America has already invested millions of dollars into American circuits and competitions such as NASCAR and the IndyCar series, which are both American auto racing competitions. Because America has its own auto racing competitions, entering F1 could be a financial liability despite the international reach that could be gained by entering it. Another reason could be that the brutal, cut throat nature of F1 is not something that American auto companies wish to associate themselves with. NASCAR and IndyCar, while being extremely competitive competitions, both exhibit a more friendly environment compared to F1. Nevertheless, with Haas’ entrance into F1, America is slowly gaining popularity in the sport and more Americans are becoming interested in international motor racing as well.
One of the most impactful results from America’s entrance into F1 is the growing American patriotism from American F1 fans. Although Haas is not as large of a team as it hoped to be, it still has the support of thousands of American fans. Haas is a great example of how participating in sports is a great way to increase American patriotism and support at a global scale.
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Hi Dharshini! I love your discussion of something that contradicts the normal perception of America’s striving for prestige, competition, and sports. I agree that a lot of America’s lack of participation in Formula One has to do with money, with the US hosting racing competitions like NASCAR and the IndyCar Series. Some of the best engineers in the world work to improve the aerodynamics of F1 cars. That means that entering into Formula One is an extremely expensive investment. In addition, there is not a large audience for Formula One competitions in the US, so F1 is both inconvenient and risky. Another reason for the US’s late entrance is due to the design of the pathway into F1. The FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile), an international sporting association, certifies regional Formula Four championships and Formula Regional championships. These allow for the competition and elimination of nations, in which the remaining competitors enter F3, F2, and eventually F1. The potential for the US to be knocked out in earlier competitions also helps explain its late entrance. Nevertheless, the interest of the US in F1 is growing. Soon enough, America’s typical aim for dominance in sports, in addition to an increasing audience, may provide enough incentive for the nation to take F1 seriously.
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ReplyDeleteHi Dharshini! To be honest, I had basically known nothing about car racing before your blog, probably all derived from advertisements for collaborations between NASCAR and Hot Wheels, which is why I found your blog to be so educational. One of the main arguments that you make in your blog, that participating in American sports, even in something as niche as F1, can help increase American patriotism, loosely reminds me of the Olympics. In the Olympics, many countries emphasize their victories and high placements within the sports to push nationalism. Furthermore, many smaller countries who may host the games can receive international support, and an influx in tourism, leading to many positive benefits. Similarly, F1, an international competition, can also be seen as a source of American patriotism, and bring in global support. However, I am confused about one thing. In your blog, you talk about Haas as if it is under the American government. However, upon some research, the team seems to be privately owned by Gene Haas.
Either way, I think that your blog was excellently written. Your attention to detail, such as describing the date on which Haas joined F1, shows that you are very knowledgeable about F1, raising your credibility. Furthermore, I like your analysis as to why America was late to F1, and how you related the sport to American culture as a whole, briefly speaking about increasing American patriotism and international relations.
Hi Dharshini, I liked the points you gave to why America has joined the racing industry so late yet still have been successful. With races like Nascar, F1 and le mans, it is clear that America has evolved over the years even with their adaptation to the industry. Especially in le mans where Cadillac has begun to place top 5 over the years. Its entrance to F1 has proved again and again that America’s car industry will continue to improve until they have won. While Max Verstappen will continue to win continuously, it is not impossible to believe that Haas can win eventually in the near future. America joining can be seen as a form of them joining the international scene of sports. While many sports have been local and within the country, there are not as many sports that America takes part in that are international. It also shows the world how America is doing in its sports industries and its innovations. The engineering behind its cars for F1 show a lot of improvements in its engines and aero technology. Overall your blog showed many good points on why America joined so late and you organized your information very well.
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