Martin Brundle reveals next big step F1 must take in US after Miami GP buzz

Sky F1 pundit Martin Brundle. Bahrain March 2023.

While an Andretti F1 entry or the arrival of a front-running American driver may further boost the series in the United States, Martin Brundle has proposed a new race which he thinks should be at the top of the list.

Formula 1 made its first of three scheduled trips to the nation last weekend, as McLaren’s Lando Norris upset the odds to claim his maiden victory at the Miami Grand Prix, a new record US TV audience watching him do so.

Martin Brundle calls for New York Grand Prix

Later in the season, F1 will visit Austin and then Las Vegas, but could there be scope for a fourth US-based round on the calendar? Brundle believes so.

On the ground in Miami for Sky F1, Brundle noted the “buzz” around the event in its third year and suggested that rather than the prospective Andretti team or an American driver competing at the sharp end of the grid, racing in New York is what F1 needs to keep the ball rolling on its thriving popularity in the United States.

The prospect of a New York Grand Prix joining the F1 calendar has been speculated in the past.

“Whatever they do, it just needs tweaking and moving along. Because it’s going really well,” said Brundle.

“Year three here, there is a brilliant buzz. It wasn’t all just about the year-one hype.

“We’ve seen in Austin, an event that’s been going a long time now, went in the doldrums a little bit, but Drive to Survive and other things brought that back to being a really busy, popular event. Vegas was Vegas.

“I think an American driver would help, an American team would help, but the global might that is Formula 1, third only to the Olympics and the World Cup in terms of global awareness, except we happen 24 times a year, not once every four years, so we’re in this machine.

“Maybe Andretti and a front-running American driver would help.

“How about a race in New York? That’s got to be next on the list.”

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Andretti and GM brand Cadillac received FIA approval to join the F1 grid, though Formula One Management said no, with Andretti now facing the challenge of trying to make sure that FOM change their mind, with the unveiling of their new Silverstone base serving as a major commitment towards achieving that.

Brundle sees “absolute dedication” being shown by the prospective American team to make it onto the F1 grid and he believes they will utilise every trick in the book to ensure that it happens.

Put to him that Andretti seem to be winning the PR battle, Brundle said: “I think they are and I think what they’re showing is absolute dedication to being in Formula 1. The new factory that they opened recently at Silverstone.

“And they’re like, ‘We’re not going away. We’re going to keep knocking on the door. We might have to bring our lawyers, we might have to bring a works power unit engine. Whatever it is, sooner or later, we’re going to be in Formula 1.’

“That’s how I’m reading the Andrettis at the moment.”

F1 does have an American driver and team representative, though on the team side, Haas find themselves down in P7 in the Constructors’ Championship, while Williams’ Logan Sargeant is yet to score an F1 2024 point.