posted June 28, 2005 at 11:29 EST in NASCAR Betting Trends

Formula One is the forgotten motor sport when it comes to car racing in North America. Why is that? This weekend, F1 takes their act to the French Capital of North America: Montreal, Quebec. There, the race serves as a showcase for the glitz and glamour that is Formula One racing. Wealthy men and women flock to Montreal for this all too important race and pay whatever the hotels charge for the weekend. The fashion shows, the car displays and the absolute eye candy for male eyes are truly something to behold.

The following weekend, F1 racers will flock to Indianapolis and invade American soil. But, while the cars are seemingly superior to CART and IRL, F1 simply isn’t the same draw in the United States (particularly in the south) as it is all over the rest of the world. It can’t be the foreign drivers in their circuit that deters U.S. fans, as names such as Fittipaldi and Castroneves are a definite part of the American racing fan’s vocabulary.

Then could it be the way it’s run? Absolutely! F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone runs F1 like a dictatorship, constantly threatening (and in some cases following through with) to take away races from cities. He thwarts any and all attempts for input by other parties and has been known to be bribed into keeping a race in your town. Let’s just say that F1 isn’t as accessible and fan-friendly as NASCAR is right now. The word “snobby” comes to mind when pondering Formula One’s appeal. In fact, there’s nothing down home or American about the sport. The only way it’ll change is if a billionaire from the U.S. takes over an F1 team and makes it a success with American drivers. After all, we are a patriotic bunch and never shy away from rooting for one of our own.

Be that as it may, if you do have a chance to watch the American and Canadian F1 Grand Prix races, the action really is competitive, particularly this season with the Ferrari team not dominating as it had been for the last several years. Give it a shot. If you can get past the snobby feel it could be worth putting some action on.