IndyCar: The Five Best International Venues
By Alex Herbst
Mexico City
The potential of the Mexican market is one that is not lost on major American sports. Major League Baseball and the National Football League each have contested games there in recent years, and NASCAR recently announced the revival of their Mexican division. They aren’t the only ones taking notice either, with major racing series like Formula One, Formula E, and MotoGP all flocking to the capital Mexico City.
In the race for a slot on the 2017 calendar, Mexico City once again looked likely to add another event, this time from IndyCar. However, international expansion was delayed by at least another year, making 2018 a possibility for the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. The former host of Champ Car from 2002 to 2007, the recently renovated facility has quickly become one of the top destinations in motorsports.
The advantage of adding Mexico City to the schedule is not only in the market size for open-wheel racing, but also the opportunities for its location on the calendar. With its southern location, it could fit well in the “international section” of the IndyCar schedule in February or March. However, with its convenient location for equipment to be delivered by ground, it could also fit in later on the calendar amongst the domestic races.
Next: Top Five U.S. Venues for IndyCar's Future
There are certainly many other tracks that IndyCar could go to all around the world. What about a stop in the Middle East? Maybe another try at a street race in China? Or how about some more races in Europe?
The options are nearly endless for international expansion of IndyCar, but the calendar is finite. What tracks would you like to see IndyCar visit that are outside the United States?