According to Motorsport.com, former Formula 1 CEO Chase Carey has revealed that New York was one of only three places evaluated for new races in the United States following Liberty Media's acquisition of the championship, sitting alongside Miami and Las Vegas on a very short shortlist.
Carey served as F1 CEO from 2017 until Stefano Domenicali assumed the role at the start of 2021. The 72-year-old made the revelation during an appearance as a panellist at the Autosport Business Exchange in New York, an event held at the Manhattan Motorcars showroom that brought together senior figures from across the industry. The gathering also featured Christian Horner making his first US appearance since leaving Oracle Red Bull Racing, alongside other notable names such as seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, General Motors' Mark Reuss, Penske's Jonathan Gibson, and NASCAR's Tim Clark.
So, Miami and Las Vegas became places we thought we could expand that footprint, expand our presence and add that as a building block to the sport in the U.S.
Speaking in an on-stage conversation with Fox Business anchor Liz Claman, Carey explained that expanding the sport's American footprint was an immediate priority. Emphasizing the importance of the US market for driving global media and partnering with entertainment brands based in the country, he noted that any new destination had to meet a strict criteria.
"And I said, 'Look, our locations need to be iconic locations that wow people,'" Carey stated during the event. "There were three. We have a great race in Austin. It's a fabulous race. I hope everybody who has a chance to go this weekend enjoys it. It's a great experience."
However, the search for additional building blocks quickly narrowed. While New York, Miami, and Las Vegas were the only locations deemed to make sense at the time, logistical reality quickly stepped in for one of them.
"New York, we realistically recognised wasn't going to happen," Carey explained. "So, Miami and Las Vegas became places we thought we could expand that footprint, expand our presence and add that as a building block to the sport in the U.S."
That vision materialized when Miami joined the calendar in 2022 and Las Vegas followed in 2023. Both venues have since secured long-term futures, with contract extensions locking Miami in until at least 2041 and Las Vegas through to the end of 2037.
