Caution Flags Fly as CART Set for UK Arrival
When Performance Research Europe conducted
a study among F1 fans attending the 2000 British Grand Prix they
discovered that despite the possibility of CART racing being staged
in the UK, F1 race fans are still ambivalent about the idea of
watching US motorsports.
So how many F1 fans actually recalled watching American
motorsports on television during the past month? Well it was just
over one-third (34%). Among those fans roughly two-thirds (67%)
had watched NASCAR, roughly three-fifths (61%) had watched IRL,
and just over one-half had watched CART.
Although, it was noticeable that limited television
coverage had restricted the number of viewing occasions. In the
past month F1 fans reported watching NASCAR and IRL on an average
of just 2.5 occasions and CART on just 2.3 occasions.
But would these F1 fans watch US motorsports if
there was more prime time television coverage on either terrestrial
or satellite television? Well… maybe, roughly one-half (52%) reported
they would be ‘Very’ or ‘Somewhat’ interested in watching CART,
while 46% reported they would be ‘Very’ or ‘Somewhat’ interested
in watching NASCAR.
How likely would F1 fans be to attend possible UK
staged CART races? This study found less than one-half (46%) of
F1 fans reported they would be either ‘Very’, or ‘Somewhat’ likely
to attend a CART race staged in the UK, while just over one-third
(37%) reported they would be ‘Very’, or ‘Somewhat’ likely to attend
a UK staged NASCAR race.
These figures are low when you consider that respondents
in this study represent the most ardent F1 racing fans attending
the British Grand Prix at Silverstone despite police road blocks,
driving rain and knee high mud! It is also appears that F1 fans
best represent the target audience that CART chief Andrew Craig
is most hoping to attract.
Currently the caution flags are still flying over
the new Northamptonshire based Corby track. So what can be taken
from these findings? Well it is seems at this stage, CART still
has some way to go before UK motorsports fans accept it as a must
see event. Limited television coverage means that CART has a small
niche following in the UK. According to Mark Knight, Project Manager
at Performance Research Europe "Event organisers should
now be looking at ways to raise awareness levels and the profile
of UK CART events to tap into existing F1 fan loyalty, and get
CART on the fast track to UK success."
Staff from Performance Research
Europe randomly intercepted and interviewed in person, two hundred
and one (201) attendees throughout the race weekend of the Foster’s
British Grand Prix, April 22-23rd 2000. The margin
of error is no more than ± 5½ %.
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