Hamilton: 'The sex appeal was there!'

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Lewis Hamilton evidently enjoyed the US Grand Prix's lively pre-race build-up and thinks the showmanship was exactly what F1 has been missing.

Austin's promoters pulled out all the stops on Sunday, with a lavish and sparkling pre-race show that featured cheerleaders, boxing announcer Michael Buffer presenting all twenty drivers with his familiar and complimentary thundering shout-out and Usain Bolt waving the cars off for the formation lap, all under the watchful eye of former US President, Bill Clinton.

"I think it’s great. The Americans are way better than us Europeans in putting shows on," said Lewis Hamilton.

"You look at the Super Bowl, the NFL games, the NBA games. They are way more fun than other sporting events in Europe.

"They are more showy and its more of an atmosphere and I like that its starting to spill over into this. I think that’s the best start of a Grand Prix that I’ve seen.

F1i's Driver Ratings for the US Grand Prix

"If we can bring that more into Formula 1 culture I think it’s just going to be more exciting...the sex appeal was there. That’s what motor racing has been missing for a long time, I think."

Liberty Media, the new custodians of Formula 1, is eager to spice up proceedings and deliver to fans a veritable pre-race show, à la Super Bowl, at every round of the world championship.

Red Bull's Christian Horner isn't sure however that the format would appeal quite as much to fans at more traditional venues.

"If that engages the American public then why not? It didn’t detract from the race and seemed to get the crowd excited prior to the race," he said.

"I don’t think it would be everybody’s cup of tea, I can’t see that working at Silverstone for example but it was an interesting introduction for this Grand Prix."

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel also agreed that German fans would likely want to see things toned down a bit.

"I think Americans appreciate that sort of atmosphere and entertainment a lot more. I think Germans are maybe a little slower on that front," he said.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.