The expansion of the Formula 1 calendar with three races in the United States has been a positive move for the Mexico City Grand Prix, according to the race’s promoter Alejandro Soberon.
Mexico City rejoined the F1 schedule in 2015, three years after Circuit of The Americas returned the sport to the USA after an absence of five years. Since then, interest in the States has grown to the point where there will be three events in 2023, but Soberon — the CEO and president of race promoter Corporacion Interamericana de Entretenimiento (CIE) — says there’s even space for another race in the region.
“I’m not sure about Central America, but three races in the States, before it was a challenge, now it even looks reasonable,” Soberon said. “I think Miami’s going to be a very big success; you saw the attendance in Austin is much better than other years, so it’s a stronger race in Austin; and all the pre-sales in Vegas are through the roof.
“So I think that’s good for the region, for the time zone it’s very good. Canada, three races (in the U.S.), Mexico and Brazil. The question is, is there room for another one? My personal view is there is room for another one but it doesn’t have to go against another race in the same time zone. It can go against another time zone.
“We have many clients of ours who went to Miami. They loved Miami and they loved the race in Miami, but they came back and they secured their tickets in Mexico and said, ‘Being there was great, probably I will go back, but I love my race.’”
Soberon says the higher ticket prices in America also help to make Mexico City a viable alternative option to U.S.-based F1 fans.
“On the contrary (that more American races hurt sales), because when you compare the price and the packaging to come here we’re very competitive. And everybody knows it’s a good race, it’s a great experience. Mexico City is a very interesting city to come and do more things than the race.
“Then maybe instead of taking three days, you take a week and come and see the restaurants and the culture in the city and interesting places. So it becomes beyond a race — it goes deeper than that.”
A further race in the Americas has been mooted in Colombia after a visit to Barranquilla by F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali earlier this week, although RACER understands that is one of just many meetings that the sport has lined up due to the level of interest in new host venues wanting to join the calendar.
