NASCAR Not Concerned That F1 Is Poking Around Chicago

• Alderman Brian Hopkins told the Chicago Sun-Times there was some indication the city held “initial talks with F1 about a possible Chicago race.”

• Reportedly, F1 would like a late April to mid-June date, either before or after the Canadian Grand Prix, according to si.com/fannation.

• A reported 10-year commitment, however, is something the City of Chicago could be a deal breaker for F1.

NASCAR chief operating officer Steve O’Donnell says Formula 1’s interest in Chicago doesn’t concern the sanctioning body, which returns to the Windy City in July for its second Chicago Street Race.

“We have an agreement with Chicago and we’re really happy,” O’Donnell says.

Last fall, Red Bull Racing took its F1 car to Chicago for a demonstration outside the United Center, just a few months after NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race made its debut. WLS-TV ABC7 Chicago reported earlier this year that F1 had filed a trademark application for “Grand Prix of Chicago”, “Chicago Grand Prix”, and “Formula 1 Chicago Grand Prix”. Block Club Chicago also reported “Formula 1 Grand Prix of Chicago” was a name filed for trademark with the U.S. Patent Office on Jan. 19.

However, a statement to Block Club Chicago from mayoral spokesman Ronnie Reese said, “The Mayor’s Office has not been in talks with Formula 1 about a race in Chicago.” The independent, journalist-run newsroom said Reese didn’t respond when asked if the mayor would be open to a meeting with F1 officials.

Alderman Brian Hopkins told the Chicago Sun-Times there was some indication the city held “initial talks with F1 about a possible Chicago race.”

“I’m told that F1 typically requires a 10-year minimum deal. And that appears to be non-negotiable,” Hopkins told the Sun-Times. “The conversation (with the city) did not get much past that.”

In 2019, Formula 1 held the Emirates F1 Chicago Festival at Soldier Field, which included a F1 car making an exhibition run on Special Olympics Drive.

Reportedly, F1 would like a late April to mid-June date, either before or after the Canadian Grand Prix, according to si.com/fannation.

F1 is owned by Liberty Media Corp., which is based in Englewood, Colo.

NASCAR returns to Chicago July 6-7 on the same street course where it ran its inaugural race last year—Columbus Drive, Lake Shore Drive and Michigan Avenue. Julie Giese, the event’s president, says the “road disruptions are real.”

“Obviously, we’re racing on the streets,” Giese says. “For us, we’re trying to tighten that as much as possible. This year we’re able to take six days off the build schedule. The road impacts are much smaller.”

Officials have added reserved seats for this year’s event and have expanded the availability of single-day tickets for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup race. Even though some ticket prices are much higher, a $150 general admission ticket for Sunday includes the concerts and race-course viewing.

An economic impact report said NASCAR’s inaugural race weekend, which was hampered by a horrendous rainstorm that brought flash flood warnings, generated $109 million in economic activity and $8.3 million in local and state taxes.

In October, Mayor Brandon Johnson committed bringing the NASCAR race back for another year. He said NASCAR pledged to grow its “investments in Chicago communities” and expand the small minority- and women-owned business vendors that partner with the sanctioning body, Block Club Chicago reported.

The Chicago Tribune also reported Johnson negotiated a “handshake deal” for NASCAR to pay an extra $2 million to the city.

Autoweek contributing editor Mike Hembree contributed to this article.