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Whitmarsh reiterates need for two US GPs

FOTA chairman Martin Whitmarsh has reiterated the need for Formula One to host two Grands Prix in the United States of America every year, with the sport set to return to the country only next year for the first time since 2007. Whitmarsh says that hosting a single race in the US is not enough given the size of the market, and is championing hosting a race each on the east and west coasts.

Speaking at the recent FOTA Fans' Forum at McLaren's headquarters in Woking, Whitmarsh said that the sport had to embrace America this time around, having failed to make an impact on the country on previous visits.

“We're going to the USA, but we've really got to go to the USA this time. That's to say going there, having a race going home isn't good enough,” he began. “That's what we've done in the States before and it didn't work. We're not really in America. America doesn't need us, but we need to conquer it.

“Maybe we need to have two races a year and a proper marketing programme. We've got to create the interest.”

The United States Grand Prix was last run at the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway between 2000 and 2007, but the race's return to the calendar was only confirmed last year with a surprise announcement of a Grand Prix in Austin, Texas. The race is preliminary scheduled for June 17th.

Whitmarsh said conquering F1 in America was a five-year challenge, with the US GP due to be hosted at Austin for at least ten years.

“F1 hasn't had to sell itself in the past; the fans have come to us. But there's lots of competition in the entertainment business,” he continued. “We have to conquer America – that's a five-year programme. We've got to be on the east coast and the west coast.

“It's a big enough market and an important enough market to have two races and we should be over there. I have nothing against Texas and I hope it's a very successful race, but the natural hinterland for us is the east coast and the west coast.

“Long Beach and around New York: those are the places where we're going to create interest in F1.”

Deputy team principal at Force India, Bob Fernley agreed with Whitmarsh and said that the east and west coasts of America were the natural homes for the sport.

“I think Martin is absolutely correct. The west coast and the east coast are the natural homes for F1 in America,” said Fernley.

Credit: Manipe F1 (www.manipef1.com)