Following F1’s dramatic upward push in US reputation, Pato O’Ward has warned it would “swallow up IndyCar” if the series does not “step up”.
Since Liberty Media’s acquisition of Formula 1 in 2016, there was an enormous upward push in approval for the recreation in the United States.
Average viewing figures of a race have greater than doubled from 429,000 to 953,000 and the nation is ready to host 3 races in one season after Las Vegas used to be added to the 2023 calendar.
But whilst the ones concerned with F1 had been taking part in a degree of American reputation by no means observed ahead of, it has left different series questioning what the have an effect on can be for them.
As an IndyAutomotive motive force and a take a look at motive force for the McLaren F1 group, Pato O’Ward is a person with a foot in each camps and has warned the American series that it might be swallowed up if it does not “step up”
“As Formula 1 has really taken off, I think it has helped other series around the world including IndyCar,” O’Ward instructed PlanetF1.
“But I think it’s to the point where, especially here in America, people know more of F1 than they know about IndyCar.
“It’s important for Americans to know about IndyCar. They know the Indy 500 but they think that that’s your championship and it’s a ‘well, you’re forgetting 16 more races.’
“I personally think that IndyCar has to watch out and we need to grow, we need to grow as a series, I’ve been trying to help in every way I can in order to help that because it’s a phenomenal series.
“I just think F1’s going to swallow up the series if it doesn’t step up.”
O’Ward has been using in IndyAutomotive since 2018 and maintains that it’s “underrated” as a series.
“It’s so competitive, it’s so hard to win,” the 23-year-old mentioned. “It tests your skills in every single part of a racetrack. A racing driver needs to be perfect in order to be a champion.
“I’ve said it before, I think that IndyCar is extremely underrated. I think it’s grown, because of how many high profile drivers are interested in racing in it.
“But I don’t necessarily think the series itself is what is on the rise. I just think the interest is so high from some pretty high profile drivers because everybody that’s in racing understands that IndyCar is probably some of the best racing you’ll ever be in.”
The Mexican did reward Formula 1 for its luck in drawing a distinct demographic to the recreation and attractive with new fanatics.
“It’s huge,” O’Ward mentioned of Formula 1’s reputation. “Apparently now everybody’s a Formula 1 expert because they’ve seen Drive to Survive!
“Everybody watches F1 now, everybody wants to go to a Formula 1 race now, especially the younger demographic. I think that’s where they’ve done a superb job.
“The percentage of young ladies that are interested in motorsport is extremely small, but it has grown astronomically and I think that’s huge for the series and for the sport.”
O’Ward, who has run two exams for McLaren, gets his first style of a Formula 1 consultation when he completes FP1 for the group forward of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
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