Last year’s Grand Prix in Austin attracted a record number of 440,000 visitors over three days. Formula 1 is a hit in America. Ticket sales show that this is not the case everywhere, according to our man in Austin.
After a long travel day full of misfortune, I landed at Austin-Bergstrom late Wednesday afternoon. Formula 1 is in town and there is no escaping it at the airport: on the USGP poster Sergio Pérez is the star of the show, Logan Sargeant and Alex Albon praise the non-alcoholic beer Michelob on behalf of Williams everywhere with a generous smile On.
Max Verstappen is prominently visible in the arrivals hall on communications from Red Bull’s American partners Oracle and Mobil 1. There is also a stand with a display model where you can buy merchandise from the bull stable, as I discovered while waiting at the baggage claim.
Times have changed
Times have changed considerably in that respect. In 2016, you had no idea at the airport that the high-speed circus was visiting Texas’ capital. You also drove straight to the circuit. Nowadays there are traffic jams on the way to the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) for three days. Logical if you have to process almost half a million people, all of whom come by car.
Last year, 440,000 fans walked through the gates in Austin, a record number for Formula 1. There may be even more in the upcoming edition: many Latin fans come not only for Pérez, but also for the concerts in the evening. The GP is always accompanied by great artists. This year, The Killers, DJ Tiësto and Queen (with Adam Lambert) will be on stage.
This long introduction brings me to the point I want to get to: is Formula 1 really such a huge hit in America in terms of ticket sales as we see and read everywhere? Because I hear different sounds in the paddock and also from (international) agencies that offer tickets and packages for Grands Prix. For example, the show in Miami in early May is said to have sold tickets at dump prices.
The organization initially did not want to collaborate with intermediaries or commercial agencies for the second edition. “When sales lagged behind, they approached us from Miami about six times,” says Robin Bilkert of the Dutch (travel) provider Grand Prix Ticketshop & GP Incentives. “But yes, we could not offer our customers tickets for $200 two weeks prior to the event, while they previously paid over $800.” According to Bilkert, Miami sold 40 percent fewer tickets this year than in 2021, passes were dumped for just $100 and two bleachers remained empty.
Vegas
Las Vegas will host the modern Formula 1 in a month’s time. Rights holder FOM organizes and promotes the scoop on the famous Strip itself: it hopes to earn almost half a billion from it. The prices are astronomical. The most expensive tickets/packages are selling well, so I heard. But there appear to be plenty of other tickets available, which have now been offered (again) through European sales agents.
“In Las Vegas it’s the same story as Miami,” Bilkert believes. “Passes were offered for ridiculous amounts ($1,600). In the beginning this still sold. Now many parties are ‘dumping’, including the promoter we work with. And recently day tickets have also been offered, which were previously weekend tickets. “There are still plenty of tickets in stock,” Bilkert assures us.”
Viva Las Vegas!
Read everything about the United States GP here, including the complete timetable
The special champion edition of FORMULA 1 Magazine is NOW in stores. The magazine can also be ordered digitally, with free delivery throughout the Netherlands! Read all about Max Verstappen’s special World Cup trilogy, also with unique photography by our in-house photographer Peter van Egmond. This issue also includes:
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- Red Bull team boss Christian Horner continues to amaze: ‘All superlatives for Max have run out’
- Photo series: Verstappen’s fast path to the third world title
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- Gallery: the most beautiful image of resident photographer Peter van Egmond
- Columns Noël Ummels and Nelson Valkenburg
- F1 Insider Graham Watson on FOM’s commercial interest in a new superstar
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