Surely nobody is naive enough to believe that sport and politics are not interlinked, especially when it comes to motorsport. Multiple categories now benefit from races or championships that are paid for by governments or regimes.
It could be argued that Formula 1 has always been inexplicably linked to politics, by virtue of its association with promoters or brands as it blends sport, entertainment and business.
For the majority, the issue of politics usually surfaces when drivers are asked about competing in countries that have questionable records on human rights. That level of questioning does not usually extend to European or North American races. However, that could be set to change with two F1 races in short succession in the United States either side of the presidential elections.
The US Grand Prix in Austin will be held on Sunday 20 October, with the Las Vegas Grand Prix set for Saturday 23 November. The election will be held on Tuesday 5 November. When F1 rolls into Texas, there is the potential for it to become politicised, with drivers quizzed as to their opinions on the outcome of the upcoming elections.
While there are currently no American drivers on the gird, their opinions still hold sway. This is because politicians exploit elements of popular culture, be it music or sport.
We have seen in the past how an artist like musician Taylor Swift can have a significant outcome on the vote. Swift’s support for the Democrats has been widely acknowledged as a contributing factor to the party’s success in 2020. Earlier this year, The New York Times identified that Joe Biden’s now abandoned re-election campaign had Swift’s backing as its “biggest and most influential endorsement target”.
An election after all, is a popularity contest. If you have the support of global icon, say a Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso or Lando Norris, then it is another huge benefit.
Harris has identified Hamilton as her favourite F1 driver – could others get dragged into the conversation?
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
It could be argued this is nothing new, for F1 has raced in the US before and it has not strayed into the political discussions. However, all that has changed in recent years, most notably with the world championship having US owners in the form of Liberty Media.
Furthermore F1 is now in vogue in the US, thanks mainly to the Netflix show Drive To Survive. It is now hugely popular and…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Autosport.com – Formula 1 – Stories…