In the round-up: Live television viewership of Formula 1 is still showing signs of growing in the USA, according to ESPN.
In brief
ESPN reports strong US viewership of F1
Formula 1 has drawn three of its four largest live US television audiences over the first races of 2023, according to ESPN’s viewership figures.
Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix was watched live by an average of 1.76 million viewers in the USA. The Monaco Grand Prix drew 1.79m and the Miami race – the first of three in the USA this year – 1.96m. The three are among the four highest such figures recorded for live race broadcasts in the country, which Liberty Media has targeted as a major focus for future growth.
However the figures fall short of the record 2.6m people who watched last year’s inaugural Miami Grand Prix live. Last weekend an alternative Miami Grand Prix broadcast presented by Will Arnett at Daniel Ricciardo was screened on ESPN2 and watched by 114,000 people.
Formula E to modify IndyCar’s Portland track
Formula E returns to the USA this weekend to race at Portland International Raceway, and will use a slightly different track configuration to other series.
The permanent circuit, which has hosted IndyCar 28 times since 1984, normally runs to 3.166 kilometres but has been extended by 23 metres for use by FE. That change is primarily at the opening corner, which is a right-hander that is part of a chicane comprising the first three corners, while the stretch of track where Attack Mode can be used has been placed on the outside of the turn seven right-hander.
“The circuit is super-fast. Energy management will play an important role,” said Porsche’s Antonio Felix da Costa. “In terms of strategy, it certainly won’t be easy, but that said, we did well at other new racetracks this season.”
Da Costa is currently sixth in the standings, which are led by his team mate Pascal Wehrlein.
“I’ll support the team and Pascal as much as I can and do everything to ensure that both world championship titles go to Porsche,” added da Costa. “I’m happy to take on this role because I’m sure Pascal would do the same for me if the roles were reversed. That’s not a problem for me. This is a team sport. Our common goal is to win races and championships. That’s our job.”
New NASCAR game announced
A new official NASCAR game will arrive later this year, taking inspiration from arcade racing games.
At least six of the tracks on the 2023 NASCAR Cup series schedule will feature in NASCAR Arcade Rush, but will be reimagined “with jaw-dropping twists, hair-raising turns, gravity-defying jumps, nitro boosts and other surprises”, and the number of playable vehicles spans 75 years of stock car racing history.
The game will include a career mode as well as 12-user online multiplayer racing. It will be available for Xbox Series S and X, PlayStation 4 and 5, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam.
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Links
Motor racing links of interest:
A day in the life: at the racetrack with Grosjean (Lamborghini)
‘When you’re 20, all you care about is being the fastest. Now I’m older I love having team-mates. It’s not only about you, it’s about making sure that your team is the best around the race-track. It’s about compromise and making sure that everyone is happy.’
‘Each of the five university teams participating received an official driving license to participate in the competition, issued by ACI Milano. Although the license is granted to the team leader, it represents a first-of-its-kind motorsport license for an ‘AI driver’. To gain approval from ACI Sport, the IAC and each university team had to submit historical data and demonstrate track tests at Monza to validate the ability and safe operations of an autonomous race car.’
Alpine’s Pulling: ‘It’s a great time to be a female coming into the sport’ (Formula Scout)
‘Despite a trying start to the inaugural season of F1 Academy, Abbi Pulling remains positive and upbeat about her prospects for the rest of the year and the work she is doing with the Alpine F1 team.’
BMW eyes first win at Watkins Glen (AutoHebdo)
‘The only manufacturer not to have found its way to victory in the GTP category, BMW hopes to unlock the counter of its M Hybrid V8 at Watkins Glen.’
Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes hit by Xinjiang forced labour complaint (Financial Times)
‘The complaints against Mercedes-Benz and BMW centred on a few indirect and direct suppliers based in or near Xinjiang, which the (European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights) said were likely to have been at risk of using forced labour.’
So what do tourists think of Montreal? Grand Prix fans ‘love it here’ (Montreal Gazette)
‘Ed Broughton is beaming: ‘Montreal is the best!’ A retired pharmaceuticals exec from Princeton, NJ, he has caught the Canadian Grand Prix here 20 times. It would have been 22 had Covid not killed it for two years. This will be a first at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve track for his wife, Susan, who has accompanied Ed this year along with an entourage of four offspring.’
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