NEW YORK (REUTERS) – Demand for Miami Grand Prix tickets ahead of the second US race’s debut next year already exceeds capacity several times over, Formula One’s owners reported on Thursday (Nov 4).
Miami in May will be the second US round, joining Austin, Texas, whose race last month reported a record three-day crowd of 400,000 with a Sunday attendance of 140,000.
The popularity of the Netflix F1 documentary series Drive To Survive is credited with a big rise in the sport’s popularity in the United States.
Greg Maffei, president and chief executive officer of commercial rights holder Liberty Media, told analysts on a third quarter earnings call that some 70 per cent of the crowd in Austin had been attending their first grand prix.
“We are excited to have our second race in the US and welcome the Miami GP in May. Demand is high: 275,000 people pre-registered to purchase tickets as compared to a planned capacity of around 80,000,” he said.
Grandstand tickets sold out on the first day, with 1,800 people paying a US$5,000 (S$6,700) deposit for luxury hospitality.
The Formula One Group as a whole reported a US$68 million profit in the third quarter, compared to a US$115 million loss in the same period in 2020 when races were being held behind closed doors due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Seven races took place in Q3 2021 compared to 10 in the same three-month period of 2020.
Total Formula One Group revenues rose to US$668 million from a previous US$597 million.
“Formula One is firing on all cylinders and producing results on the track, for our fans and partners and our investors,” said chief executive Stefano Domenicali.
“We already know that the 2021 season will be one for the ages, with a fierce battle up and down the grid and among the constructors. We have seen the results with fans at the track and with engagement across all platforms.”
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen leads Mercedes’ seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton by 12 points ahead of Sunday’s Mexico City Grand Prix, the 18th of 22 races this season.