F1 Rumor: Formula 1 to add 4th USA race in Chicago

The source of today’s rumor, @fastestpitstop on Twitter has put out this statement:

“We would like to address the recent tweet regarding the potential Chicago GP.

“After careful consideration and review of the information, we have made the decision to take down the most recent tweet related to this topic.

“We have been made aware of further information that comes in dispute with some of the claims made by our source.

“We always strive to provide accurate and reliable information, and we are disappointed that we fell short of this in this instance.

“We want to assure you that we take the accuracy of our reporting very seriously and want to prevent similar occurrences happening in the future. Thank you for your understanding.”

With all that said, another source tweets (take it for what it is worth):

Breaking 🚨🚨

According to recent reports, it has been revealed that #F1 will come to Chicago! A contract has been signed for the years 2026 onwards, with a night race scheduled just before the Canadian GP. As event planning and stadium construction progress, excitement builds… pic.twitter.com/8DbiiGZjmh

— DFW F1 Breakfast Club (@DFWF1Club) May 13, 2024

May 13, 2024

This rumor, that we have covered extensively, is upgraded to ‘strong’ today. Twitter handle @fastestpitstop says that the contract to bring Formula One to Chicago has been signed!

While circuit planning remains ongoing, the spot on the calendar for 2026 onwards has been finalized!

Event planning is nearing completion, and with Chicago building a new 4 billion dollar stadium, it is expected to bring in more funding.

The race is confirmed to be a night race, held right before the Canadian GP. It is expected that F1 in Chicago will be announced within the next few weeks.

May 9, 2024

While Martin Brundle says Liberty Media should add a 4th USA F1 race in NY City, there really is not a viable location that won’t get the tree-hugging liberals in the City up in arms and their panties in a tight knot.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

Chicago remains the best option for a 4th race in the USA as outlined below.

On the Liberty Media 1st Quarter Earnings call, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei, were very bullish on the global demand for F1 races.

Domenicali said that the organization will announce “some new venues that could be very attractive” in the next couple of years.

“In the course of the last few years, because of the strong demand of our product, and because of the standard we are asking to work with our promoters, we have seen everything going up in terms of quality of demand, of course economical input for both the promoter and our side,” said Domenicali.

“And the strong demand we are receiving just shows really the strategy is right. Now the point is to keep the balance between the different counties that are requesting the different Grands Prix.”

He added: “Race promotion, before COVID, everyone was worried about the fact in terms of revenue stream, this could have been a very flat line.

“And actually, the fact that we have a lot of demand, of course, is pushing up also the possibility of maximizing in the best way that we can the race promotion fees.

“But it has to be connected to our strategic development in different markets. So everything is progressing very, very well. And I would say in the next couple of years, I’m expecting to see – and we are expected to announce – also some new venues that could be very attractive to grow the business of F1.”

Maffei admitted that strong demand from competing venues allows F1 to generate more income from race hosting fees.

“I think for a long time it was perceived that the growth and promotion would come from incremental races,” said Maffei. “And we obviously went from 18 or something to up to this 24 level, which is where we do not anticipate growing any more races.

“But it actually creates a great incentive, scarcity, to be able to play promoters off against each other and not to try to, not take advantage of them, but just given the amount of demand we have both among fans to attend and among promoters to host an event, we’ve been able to find attractive pricing and good uplifts.

“And we continue to find new venues and new locations which find it very attractive, given the amount of demand we have and given the opportunities they’ve seen others pursue. So far, so good on promotion, and I do think it continues to remain a growth area.”

However, with the calendar essentially already at capacity, the inclusion of any new event will almost certainly come in place of an existing race.

A number of grands prix have been renewed for the medium or long term, but Imola and Monaco pay the lowest hosting fee and both should be axed for better paying events. While Monaco is very historic, the track is no longer suitable for a F1 race. Passing is impossible. Unless Monaco is willing to extend the track and create some passing opportunities, it should axed.

Current F1 Event Statistics

Rnd	2024 Date	Event	Circuit	Location	Hosting Fee ($)	Contract Good Thru	2023 3-Day Attendance	Length (km)	Length (Miles)	Turns	Laps
1	March 2	Bahrain Grand Prix	Bahrain International Circuit	Sakhir	45 million	2036	99,500	5.412	3.363	15	57
2	March 9	Saudi Arabian Grand Prix	Jeddah Street Circuit	Jeddah	55 million	2030	150,000	6.175	3.837	27	50
3	March 24	Australian Grand Prix	Albert Park Circuit	Melbourne	40 million	2035	444,631	5.279	3.280	16	58
4	April 7	Japanese Grand Prix	Suzuka International Racing Course	Suzuka	50 million	2029	222,000	5.807	3.608	18	53
5	April 21	Chinese GP	Shanghai Intl Circuit	Shanghai	50 million	2025	No Race	5.451	3.387	16	56
6	May 7	Miami Grand Prix	Miami International Autodrome	Miami	Collaboration Assume $45M	2031	270,491	5.410	3.362	19	57
7	May 19	Emilia Romagna Grand Prix	Imola	Imola	20 million	2025	No Race	4.909	3.050	21	66
8	May 26	Monaco Grand Prix	Circuit de Monaco	Monte Carlo	20 million	2025	200,000	3.340	2.075	19	78
9	June 9	Canadian Grand Prix	Circuit Gilles Villeneuve 14 turns	Montreal	30 million	2031	345,000	4.361	2.710	14	70
10	June23	Spanish Grand Prix	Circuit de Barcelona	Montmeló	25 million	2026	284,066	4.655	2.892	16	66
11	June 30	Austrian Grand Prix	Red Bull Ring	Spielberg	25 million	2030	304,000	4.326	2.688	10	71
12	July 7	British Grand Prix	Silverstone Circuit	Silverstone	40 million	2034	480,000	5.891	3.660	18	52
13	July 21	Hungarian Grand Prix	Hungaroring	Mogyoród	40 million	2032	303,000	4.381	2.722	14	70
14	July 28	Belgian Grand Prix	Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps	Stavelot	25 million	2025	380,000	7.004	4.352	19	44
15	August 25	Dutch Grand Prix	Circuit Zandvoort	Zandvoort	32 million	2025	305,000	4.459	2.771	14	72
16	September 1	Italian Grand Prix	Autodromo Nazionale di Monza	Monza	25 million	2025	304,135	5.793	3.600	17	53
17	September 15	Azerbaijan Grand Prix	Baku City Circuit	Baku	55 million	2026	95,000	6.003	3.730	20	51
18	September 22	Singapore Grand Prix	Marina Bay Street Circuit	Singapore	35 million	2028	264,108	5.063	3.146	23	61
19	October 20	United States Grand Prix	Circuit of the Americas	Austin	25 million	2026	432,000	5.513	3.426	20	56
20	October 27	Mexico City Grand Prix	Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez	Mexico City	25 million	2025	400,639	4.304	2.674	17	71
21	November 3	Sao Paulo Grand Prix	Autódromo José Carlos Pace	São Paulo	30 million	2030	267,000	4.309	2.677	15	71
22	November 23	Las Vegas Grand Prix	Las Vegas Street Circuit	Las Vegas	Owned by F1 Assume $45M	2033	315,000	6.120	3.803	17	50
23	December 1	Qatar Grand Prix	Losail International Circuit	Losail	55 million	2032	120,000	5.380	3.343	16	57
24	December 8	Abu Dhabi Grand Prix	Yas Marina Circuit,	Abu Dhabi	40 million	2030	165,000	5.554	3.451	21	55
				w/o Madrid	$877 million		6,150,570	Averages	3.234 mi.	18	60
25	TBD	Spanish GP	IFEMA Madrid Circuit	Madrid	65 million	2035	330,000	5.474	3.401	20	56
				w/Madrid	$942 million		6,480,570	Averages	3.240 mi.	18	60

To maintain their place on the calendar, those promoters will be expected to pay the market rate – which has been inflated by the demand for events in recent years.

February 10, 2024

Organizers of the planned Chicago Grand Prix want to prioritize racing over “show.”

Sources reveal that the planned Chicago Grand Prix will be “European-esque” and it will combine elements of loved European tracks into the planned Street Track.

The track will go around Soldier Field stadium and consist of a general mix of low, medium and high speed corners, even though the organizers aim to prioritize the medium speed ones to optimize overtaking opportunities.

The organizers are said to want to prioritize racing and speed before show, to balance out how races like Vegas and Miami are flashy. Source: Fastest Pitstop

Related Article: AutoRacing1.com Proposed F1 track in Chicago

February 8, 2024

Twitter User Fastest Pitstop reports, “Sources reveal there are extensive plans to hold an F1 race in the Windy City.

The event may be named either the “North American Grand Prix” or the “Chicago Festival Grand Prix”, as the trademark application for the “Chicago Grand Prix” name will likely be rejected.

Race looks to be targeted for late April-Mid June to coincide with ideal weather and the right fit in the calendar, preferably before or after Canada.

Related Article: The best location for a F1 track in Chicago

February 8, 2024

If there is a Chicago Grand Prix, it won’t happen until 2025 at the absolute earliest, but more likely 2026.

While there’s no official word on a Chicago Grand Prix, the Austin U.S. grand prix, Miami GP and Las Vegas GP did become realities shortly after their names were trademarked.

The F1 calendar can have no more than 25 races per year according to the Concorde Agreement. However, a new Concorde Agreement will come into effect in 2026.

Here is a list of current F1 races and when their hosting contract expires. As you can see from this list, with the addition of the Spanish GP in Madrid, F1 would be at the 25-race maximum, so one would have to drop to make room for Chicago.

January 27, 2024

Liberty Media has registered the trademark “Formula 1 Grand Prix Of Chicago” and rumor has it that they are eyeing a 4th race in the USA.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

Long Beach showed some interest but never submitted a formal proposal, so Liberty Media figured they were not interested and started looking elsewhere.

They looked at NY City but found no suitable location.

After seeing the success of the NASCAR street race in Chicago, Liberty Media must have figured they can go one better in the Windy City.

There were actually 4 trademark names filed for:

Grand Prix of Chicago
Formula 1 Grand Prix of Chicago
Chicago Grand Prix
Formula 1 Chicago Grand Prix

We shall see if this leads to a 4th F1 race in the USA.

F1 seems to be eying more street races. The Las Vegas Grand Prix added another street circuit to the schedule last November, and news came this past week that starting in 2026 F1 will see a street race in Madrid.

So perhaps Chicago could be next …

We expect the race, if it happens, would be an afternoon race, but a night race would not be out of the question.