The prospect of Formula 1 adding a fourth round in the USA was raised earlier this month when it emerged the series had trademarked the title of a race in Chicago.
Formula One Licensing B.V. registered the titles ‘Chicago Grand Prix’ and ‘Grand Prix of Chicago’ with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on January 19th.
The series has expanded its presence in America since being taken over by Liberty Media in 2017. The existing US round in Texas was joined by a second in Miami two years ago and a third in Las Vegas last season.
NASCAR broke new ground by holding its first street race last year in Chicago on a 3.5-kilometre circuit which passed alongside the lake front.
However local politicians told the Chicago Sun-Times they consider an F1 race in the city unlikely due to the series’ contract demands.
“I’m told that F1 typically requires a 10-year minimum deal,” said Brian Hopkins, alderman for the second ward which lies north of the NASCAR track. “And that appears to be non-negotiable. The conversation [with the city] did not get much past that.”
NASCAR, which previously held rounds at the Chicagoland oval outside the city until 2019, agreed a deal to race in the city from 2023 to 2025, with an option to extend the contract for a further two years.
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An F1 street race in Chicago, America’s third-largest city, would fit with Liberty Media’s strategy of adding rounds in ‘destination’ venues. The latest addition to F1’s calendar, announced last week, is a hybrid street and road course in Madrid, which will begin a 10-year deal in 2026.
Recent new additions to the F1 calendar have involved 10-year deals, including races in Miami and Losail in Qatar.
F1 agreed a three-year contract for its new round in Las Vegas for which, uniquely, it is also the promoter. However it subsequently gained approval from the city to continue using the local roads which comprise most of the circuit for up to 10 years.
Although NASCAR’s Chicago circuit is not homologated for F1 use, it is the minimum allowed length for a grand prix track. However Hopkins does not believe the circuit could easily be upgraded to world championship standard.
“What we did with NASCAR, welding manhole covers and smoothing over potholes and calling it a track — that doesn’t work with F1,” he said. “More complicated, thus higher price tag.”
F1’s decision to trademark titles relating to a race in Chicago may be an attempt to prevent them being taken up by other parties which could lead to confusion between its race and NASCAR’s.
Red Bull performed a show run in Chicago last year which included placing one of their cars on the city’s L train.
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2023 Red Bull Chicago show run
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