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?
Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers
Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter
Few names in Formula 1 carry the same weight as Lewis Hamilton. Seven world titles.…
One-time Grand Prix winner Jean-Pierre Beltoise was born on this day in 1937. The late…
Jos Verstappen’s efforts in this weekend’s Rallye de Wallonie took a dramatic turn on Sunday…
Three races into the 2026 season, and Kimi Antonelli and George Russell find themselves in…
In Formula 1, whispers often travel faster than the cars themselves. And lately, one name…
During his 2025 rookie season in F1, Isack Hadjar carried himself with a calm, almost…