IndyCar News: Brown says IndyCar should not be looking overseas

McLaren’s Zak Brown doesn’t see any value in the NTT IndyCar Series trying to expand overseas while it hasn’t got a strong foothold domestically.

“I’m not a fan of IndyCar going outside of the Americas,” Brown told Speedcafe.

“I know it’s Aussie [readers] here, and I love Aussie, and I’ve got a Supercar team, and I love the F1 race in Aussie, and I’ve got an Australian driver, so it has nothing to do with Australia, but IndyCar needs to grow its own market before it starts going international outside of America.

“It’s got to be relevant which country we’re talking about when we don’t have a race in the northeast in America. That needs to be our priority before we start [looking overseas].

“Because just with the sponsors, I’ve never met a sponsor who’s like ‘Yeah, I’m in charge of North America and Australia’ or ‘I’m in charge of North America and England’ — either you’re global or you’re domestic.

“No different than I would be a big fan of Supercars coming to Singapore and staying in Asia-Pac[ific], I wouldn’t be a fan of Supercars going to North America for the same reason. I’ve got an Australia budget or I’m responsible for Asia-Pac but I’ve never met anyone who’s responsible for Australia and North America.

“I just don’t love the idea of IndyCar straying away from America, specifically North America. But if you wanted to, then get into Mexico and Brazil and then Americas. So that’s my personal opinion.

“I love Adelaide. I love the Formula 1 race that used to be in Adelaide, that is not a reflection on Australia. It’s just my general view of until you’re maximizing your home market. I don’t think the sport should look to go outside the home market.”

For Brown, the absence of a race in the northeast of the United States is the biggest drawback for IndyCar.

IndyCar has never visited New York and last visited nearby New Hampshire in 2011.

The closest race to the United States’ northeast is in Canada on the streets of Toronto.

“If I was sitting here going, ‘I think the IndyCar schedule is perfect’, then you start,” Brown explained.

“The Australia race, Gold Coast, it was awesome. I have no doubt it would be an awesome race, but I think there is too much growth required in North America.

“The core product, it’s a North American product and until we’re satisfied where we are there, I just don’t think we should be looking to other parts.

“No different than the Middle East. We’ve got a lot of room for improvement in North America. That’s where we need to focus.

“The northeast is a huge market, and we’re not there.”