Formula 1 is ready to hit the track again with a triple header starting this weekend in the United States. The venue will be the Circuit of the Americas for the twelfth time in the history of the United States Grand Prix. However, not everyone knows that the Austin F1 GP was at risk after the 2015 edition, and it was Taylor Swift who saved it.
The fate of the Grand Prix was in question after the rainy 2015 edition and a funding cut from local authorities. Texas had reduced its financial support for the event by 22%, equivalent to about $5.5 million.
The FIA included Austin in a first official draft of the calendar, but with an asterisk. Only after pre-season testing in Barcelona on March 9, 2016, did CoTA confirm that the event would take place. The announcement was rather unusual: the press release focused on the presence of the American singer-songwriter.
The goal was to increase the popularity of F1 and, more specifically, to attract Swifties to the world of Formula 1, both current fans and newcomers. The comparison in follower numbers was stark: Swift had 72.6 million followers on Twitter, compared to around 3 million for Formula 1.
According to a study conducted by AffinityAnswers, the affinity between F1 and Taylor Swift in the US was 4.8 out of 10. This score was lower than for other singers. However, the promotion of the event following the official announcement increased the affinity between F1 and Swift, boosting the likelihood of attracting spectators interested not only in the concert but also in the race.
Swift performed on October 22, the evening of Saturday’s qualifying session, playing 17 songs from her repertoire, including *This Is What You Came For* for the first time. It was also her only concert of 2016—a year that was extremely challenging for her, during which she faced an unfair hate campaign on social media, leading to her disappearance and iconic comeback with the album *reputation*.
Naturally, the result for Formula 1 was extremely positive. Spectator numbers rose sharply: after progressive declines from 2012 to subsequent editions, 269,889 fans attended the circuit. This figure was more than enough to improve upon the 2015 edition, which saw 224,000 attendees. Most importantly, F1 broke the record set at the inaugural Austin edition. These figures paved the way for the sport’s growth.
From a sporting perspective, the 2016 Austin GP was the first home race for Haas. Lewis Hamilton won the race, bringing his career total to 50 victories.
Taylor Swift and Formula 1: A Bond That Still Lives Today
The influence of the singer-songwriter has touched everyone, even the Formula 1 paddock. Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly attended her July 13 concert in Milan during her *The Eras Tour*. George Russell, on the other hand, attended the eighth show at Wembley Stadium.
Additionally, her current boyfriend, Travis Kelce, is one of the shareholders of the Alpine team. During the Miami Grand Prix last May, Kelce was photographed in the paddock by reporters alongside the French team.
In short, the bond between Taylor Swift and Formula 1 is actually stronger than one might think.
Source: f1ingenerale
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