Does F1 Success In The States Rest With Fernando And McLaren?

Fernando Alonso, McLaren, AGP. (C)

    The Formula One summer break is upon us. Whilst the teams are just getting back to work after an enforced 2 week factory shutdown, it might be easy to reflect on the season so far. There's the Ferrari renaissance, or the intra-team battle between Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon at Force India, or the ever looming championship challenge by Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas, or the inexplicable moment of petulant road rage of Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel at Baku. However, we're feeling a little more circumspect than that.
    Those that regularly follow formulafrontrow.com will know that we are all about promoting motorsport and encouraging people to attend their local events. Cast your mind back to the Monaco GP and there was one very prominent driver missing. That's right. McLaren's Fernando Alonso was off in the USA competing in the Indy 500 at the fabled Indianapolis circuit. He has his sights set on the only driver after Graham Hill to capture the triple crown. That is, victory at the Monaco GP (tick that off already), Le Mans 24 Hour and the Indy 500. Despite retiring with a blown engine towards the end of the race, it was Fernando's professionalism and the way he conducted himself that earned him respect amongst the paddock and won him a legion of fans outside the paddock. 
    For eons, Formula One has been trying to crack the lucrative U.S. market. Whether it be a race around the streets of Detroit, or around the Ceasar's Palace carpark, or even Indianapolis itself, F1 hasn't quite established more than a beach head in the States. Yes, there's the F1 purpose built Circuit Of The Americas in Texas to host the current iteration of the USGP, and what a fantastic facility it is, but trackside numbers have dwindled since the resurgence of the Mexican GP. 
    So we got to thinking. Has Fernando Alonso done more to promote F1 in the States than all avenues before him? Bear with us here. A lot of punters in the States follow F1, but there would be many more who would have done no more than pay F1 a nonchalant glance. After all, who was this F1 star competing at the U.S. of A's signature event? Now, after Fernando's presence at the Indy 500, those punters may just be intrigued enough to pay F1 their viewing time. But what if Fernando Alonso and McLaren are still languishing at the back? Will those punters turn off their TVs as quick as they turned them on? Surely they be more inclined to keep watching if Fernando was fighting for wins. 
    Here's hoping McLaren can turn their fortunes around post haste. The next instalment is at next week's Belgium GP at Spa.... 
    
     

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