Formula 1's heavily promoted Chicago fan festival which took place on Saturday at the city's historic Soldier Field was a resounding disaster according to those who witnessed the event.
Liberty Media has set up several F1 Fan Festival happenings this year, with Chicago following Shanghai and preceding Los Angeles and an event scheduled later this year in Brazil.
Chicago's residents were to be treated to the usual array of live demos and festive entertainment, but based on reactions on social media - with a sample found hereunder - F1 produced a rather underwhelming and embarrassing spectacle at Soldier Field.
Running was apparently minimal because of broken down F1 cars while food trucks were charging rip-off prices when food could be found, and merchandise stands were non-existent.
Fans also vented their frustrations over the two-hour wait to try one of the three simulators. But it was really the lack of demo running that disenchanted many fans.
To sum up yesterday's unfulfilling event, it was all just "pathetic", "brand damaging" and "just s**t"!
Ouch! Hardly the 'charm offensive' everyone was expecting at a time when F1 is in dire need of boosting its fan base in the U.S.
Oy! Sean Bratches, are you out there?
Hey @F1, this fan fest in Chicago is pathetic. Embarrassing. Brand damage.
— Ian Walker (@ianawalker) June 8, 2019
Hey @F1, this fan fest in Chicago is pathetic. Embarrassing. Brand damage.
— Ian Walker (@ianawalker) June 8, 2019
Hey @F1, this fan fest in Chicago is pathetic. Embarrassing. Brand damage.
— Ian Walker (@ianawalker) June 8, 2019
#F1Festival Chicago was a bit of a @F1 flop. Every car seemed to break and need a tow. But hey, we got to see a dude attempt to use a broom for 15 minutes. 🤦🏻♂️
— Brad Banwarth (@charliebrown) June 8, 2019
@F1 Chicago F1 festival is just shit. 6 cars, food trucks out of food, a DJ, 3 racing video game simulations with a 2 hour line wait, 0 merchandise. ZERO MERCHANDISE, the merchandise stand never received their delivery.
— Sleestak Putin (@PhuckPutin) June 8, 2019
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