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
McLaren F1 team boss Andrea Stella has called Toto Wolff’s bluff following the Mercedes chief’s…
Red Bull-Ford has retained its position as Formula 1’s power unit benchmark after the FIA…
Spain’s new Madring has yet to host its first Formula 1 race, but FIA F3…
Mark Webber’s role in Oscar Piastri’s career is not simply about managing the McLaren driver’s…
Had Niki Lauda been given the good fortune to read the next day's newspaper on…
Few places in Formula 1 carry as much emotional weight for Ferrari as Monza, and…