Lewis Hamilton recalls unusual fan encounter in the US

Three races will take place in the United States in 2023, with Las Vegas being added onto the calendar to join Austin and Miami.

Formula 1 is currently in a very strong position, with the championship gaining increased interest from every corner of the globe, in regard to both the fans and the companies wanting to become a part of the series.

The pinnacle of motorsport is simply going from strength-to-strength currently, with 2023 set to see the biggest calendar in the history of the sport with 24 races set to take place, should the cancelled Chinese Grand Prix be replaced.

Liberty Media have done wonders with the sport since taking it over in 2017, with North America having become a key market for the championship.

F1 is growing faster in the United States than anywhere else, with three races set to take place in the USA next season.

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Whilst the United States Grand Prix has been held at the Circuit of the Americas since 2012, 2022 saw the US Grand Prix and the Miami Grand Prix, with Las Vegas also returning to the scene in 2023.

Given how successful F1 is becoming across the pond, it would come as no shock if a fourth race in the United States is added to the calendar over the next few years, given how much money the championship is making from the nation.

Lewis Hamilton encountered a new F1 fan actually whilst at the airport in Los Angeles, with the seven-time World Champion adding that there is a “huge buzz” currently around the sport.

“I think just in general, there’s a huge buzz about Formula 1 around the world,” he told Sky Sports F1.

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“I’m going to lots of different places and it’s been really beautiful to see the how more and more people are embracing the sport. More and more people are excited and passionate about the sport that that we’ve all grown up loving.

“It’s great to see more and more new people taking trips out to be in places like this [Singapore] and being a part of the race.

“I was at the airport in LA and some young girl came up to me and I was all covered up and she was like ‘Are you Lewis?’

“She’s like ‘I’m a new fan to the sport. I’m coming out to Austin, I can’t wait, just bought my tickets, coming out with my husband.’ So it’s clearly lifting a lot of people’s spirits as sport does.”

The 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix will really be a show in itself, with the race set to take place on a Saturday and at the latest time ever.

Incredibly, the circuit will also feature part of the famous Vegas strip, highlighting that F1 is attempting to make the event as spectacular as possible, given that they are promoting it themselves.

 The race’s chief commercial officer Emily Prazer is expecting the event to be absolutely huge in the US, to the point where it “will rival the Super Bowl”.

“I think the investment in the US speaks for itself,” Prazer told PlanetF1.com.

“COTA is incredibly important and they’ve set the foundation.

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“Then you’ve got Miami and partnering with the [NFL team Miami] Dolphins was such a significant fork in the ground.

“If you’ve got Texas and the East Coast, then we have to do something on the West Coast and Vegas is just the city to do it.

“You have American owners that consistently tell you that they want to rival the Super Bowl and I think this is the event that will rival the Super Bowl.”