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
Lewis Hamilton: Australian GP – Albert Park Lewis Hamilton’s very first Grand Prix weekend…
One driver has a hugely famous name, the other is a special Grand Prix winner,…
As the Ferrari factory in Maranello glows in festive crimson, a sense of anticipation hums…
Lando Norris had just done the hardest thing in motorsport – winning the Formula 1…
A veteran of 41 Grands Prix starts, Howden Ganley - seen here above hitting a…
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc may not have ended the season with a silver trophy in hand,…