US GP ticket sales soar as drivers’ contest heats up
Defending champion Max Verstappen hasn’t won in eight straight races, leaving second-placed Lando Norris just 52 points behind with six rounds remaining
03 October 2024 - 13:56
by Alan Baldwin
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SPEED KING: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 on track during the F1 Grand Prix of Italy at Autodromo Nazionale Monza on September 1 2024 in Monza, Italy. Picture: LARS BARON/GETTY IMAGES
London — Ticket sales for this month’s US Formula One Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, “took off” after Max Verstappen stopped winning, according to race promoter Bobby Epstein.
Red Bull’s Verstappen started the season in dominant fashion, winning four of the first five races and seemed set to wrap up his fourth drivers’ title well before the end of the campaign.
The 27-year-old Dutchman, who won 19 of 22 races in 2023, has failed to win any of the last eight. McLaren’s Lando Norris is his closest challenger and 52 points behind with six rounds remaining.
“Our ticket sales really took off when Max stopped winning, and it got more competitive,” said Epstein, whose Circuit of the Americas (COTA) hosts a sprint race weekend on October 19-20.
The promoter had feared a “weakest year in four since the pandemic” but said there had instead been a “hockey stick” effect of sales trending upwards.
The Grand Prix will also be the first since Red Bull-owned RB dropped Australian Daniel Ricciardo, a big favourite of the US crowd, in September and replaced him with New Zealander Liam Lawson.
Epstein hoped Ricciardo might still attend in some other role. “I’m not sure people necessarily are buying tickets to come see him race if he’s not in a competitive car, right?” he said.
“If you’re coming, though, because he’s part of the F1 community, I think he can still be part of the F1 community in a pretty meaningful way. And he’s really, really loved in Texas, and I think he likes it here.
“I hope he’s still coming here because we’ve got a lot of people that would love to shake his hand or get his autograph or take a picture or just see him around town. We’ll keep him busy.”
The circuit will be hosting an Eminem concert after the Saturday sprint and Epstein expects a crowd of 130-150,000 on that day alone.
There will also be a college football game in town on the Saturday between the Texas Longhorns and the Georgia Bulldogs, a heavyweight clash that has sent hotel prices soaring in the state capital.
“I think we’ll have a weekend like we’ve never had before in terms of overall excitement and things to do,” said Epstein.
“The fact that we’ve got the top-ranked college game happening on that Saturday is going to make for an amazing weekend.”
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
US GP ticket sales soar as drivers’ contest heats up
Defending champion Max Verstappen hasn’t won in eight straight races, leaving second-placed Lando Norris just 52 points behind with six rounds remaining
London — Ticket sales for this month’s US Formula One Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, “took off” after Max Verstappen stopped winning, according to race promoter Bobby Epstein.
Red Bull’s Verstappen started the season in dominant fashion, winning four of the first five races and seemed set to wrap up his fourth drivers’ title well before the end of the campaign.
The 27-year-old Dutchman, who won 19 of 22 races in 2023, has failed to win any of the last eight. McLaren’s Lando Norris is his closest challenger and 52 points behind with six rounds remaining.
“Our ticket sales really took off when Max stopped winning, and it got more competitive,” said Epstein, whose Circuit of the Americas (COTA) hosts a sprint race weekend on October 19-20.
The promoter had feared a “weakest year in four since the pandemic” but said there had instead been a “hockey stick” effect of sales trending upwards.
The Grand Prix will also be the first since Red Bull-owned RB dropped Australian Daniel Ricciardo, a big favourite of the US crowd, in September and replaced him with New Zealander Liam Lawson.
Epstein hoped Ricciardo might still attend in some other role. “I’m not sure people necessarily are buying tickets to come see him race if he’s not in a competitive car, right?” he said.
“If you’re coming, though, because he’s part of the F1 community, I think he can still be part of the F1 community in a pretty meaningful way. And he’s really, really loved in Texas, and I think he likes it here.
“I hope he’s still coming here because we’ve got a lot of people that would love to shake his hand or get his autograph or take a picture or just see him around town. We’ll keep him busy.”
The circuit will be hosting an Eminem concert after the Saturday sprint and Epstein expects a crowd of 130-150,000 on that day alone.
There will also be a college football game in town on the Saturday between the Texas Longhorns and the Georgia Bulldogs, a heavyweight clash that has sent hotel prices soaring in the state capital.
“I think we’ll have a weekend like we’ve never had before in terms of overall excitement and things to do,” said Epstein.
“The fact that we’ve got the top-ranked college game happening on that Saturday is going to make for an amazing weekend.”
Reuters
Grid penalty awaits Red Bull’s Lawson at US Grand Prix
Verstappen riled by call for F1 drivers to mind their language
Norris considers Ferrari more of a threat than Red Bull
McLaren push Norris over Piastri in F1 title battle
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