US GP Tickets Surge as Verstappen's Dominance Declines in Austin
Oct.3 - Promoters of the upcoming US GP in Austin are happy that Max Verstappen is no longer dominating Formula 1.
Bobby Epstein, executive chairman of the Texan track, says ticket sales for the race weekend later this month "took off" when Red Bull began to struggle.
Reuters quotes him as saying he had expected the "weakest year since the pandemic" in terms of attendance if Verstappen had simply kept adding to his win tally.
It's a blow, however, that the highly-popular Daniel Ricciardo, who often refers to the US GP as his 'second home grand prix', has been axed by RB owner Red Bull.
"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," said Epstein.
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Red Bull Racing's decline began after the Chinese GP, so the ticket sale impact is more longer term, & whether Ricciardo would still attend the US GP is solely down to his desire.
More appropriate would be to ask all race promoters since Rb started to struggle whether there sales are up, its no big suprize an American promoter is talking up His Own Race, a rather negative statement with Zero mention Sales Took Off due to Mclarens Car Improvement, but a pinch of salt really "Under promise Over Deliver", not rocket science
In any sport, an increase in competitiveness will stimulate demand. Likeability probably a factor as well.
Red Bull's fall from dominance, combined with the emergence of McLaren, Ferrari and Benz have all injected more life and more interest into F1. Whist the WDC may well be already fait accompli for Max, at least there is still life in the WCC.
2025 is shaping up to be a competitive and great year for F1, and of course a more lucrative one for Liberty and their shareholders!
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