F1 boss insinuates American drivers are not good enough for F1

Formula 1 is owned by Americans now (Liberty Media), has an American running the McLaren team, has two teams owned by Americans (Haas and Williams) and will have two races in America in 2022 (Miami and Austin).

Yet there are no American drivers who are even given a chance in F1 and it has a CEO in place who is anti-American and gives American drivers lip service.

No American drivers are likely to come through in the near term, F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali (shown above) said on Friday.

The most recent was current IndyCar front-runner Alexander Rossi who started five races with a highest placing of 12th for the now-defunct Marussia team in 2015

He put an end to that ambition with the back marker team,  joined IndyCar to go on and win the Indianapolis 500 as a rookie in 2016.

Domenicali told analysts on a first-quarter earnings call: “We are working with teams to try to understand what is really the possibility for American drivers to come to the attention of Formula 1  teams in the short term. I don’t see that, being very pragmatic and realistic, coming in the next two or three years but maybe after.”

So, what he is essentially saying is that today’s crop of American drivers are not good enough, which of course is bullsh%# if you give them enough seat time.

“I know there are teams watching the good drivers that, if they are ready, would be a big boost for the American fans,” said Domenicali.

“The people want to see these guys. Therefore, the hope that we have is that very, very soon we have American drivers competing against all the others in the Formula 1 championship.”

Two Americans have won the Formula 1  world championship since the first in 1950 — Phil Hill in 1961 and Mario Andretti in 1978.