oh hell no...
https://www.thedrive.com/news/f1-trademark-filing-hints-at-potential-chicago-grand-prix
Formula 1 might be looking to add another U.S. city circuit to its calendar over the next few years. Nothing has been confirmed, or even hinted at, by the FIA but a new trademark filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) shows that Formula One Licensing applied for four different Chicago race names earlier this month.
According to PlanetF1, The four different trademarks filed on January 19, 2024, are as follows: Formula 1 Grand Prix of Chicago, Grand Prix of Chicago, Chicago Grand Prix, and Formula One Chicago Grand Prix.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that there will be an F1 race in Chicago anytime soon. It only means that F1 thinks that it could be possible one day and it wants to lock up the trademark rights, just in case it needs them. Companies of all kinds like to future-proof themselves by filing patents and trademarks for anything they think is possible.
If there is a Chicago Grand Prix, it won’t happen until 2025 at the absolute earliest, as the 2024 season calendar is already set. If it does happen, it will be interesting to see if F1 replaces one of the existing United States races—there are currently the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, the Las Vegas Grand Prix, and the Miami Grand Prix—or if Chicago would be added to the calendar. The latter would give the U.S. four different F1 races, by far and away more than any other country.
F1 has shown interest in The Windy City before, though, when it set up a little popup circuit with Red Bull. However, there haven’t even been any public discussions between F1 and the city of Chicago, so at least for the moment, this is just a preemptive trademark filing. This also wouldn’t be the first street race through Chicago, as NASCAR held one last year and will be doing so again in 2024.
While there’s no official word on a Chicago Grand Prix, the other aforementioned U.S. grand prix did become realities shortly after their names were trademarked. So it’s entirely possible that we see F1 cars driving through Chicago as early as 2025.
The Chinese GP is coming up in 2024 and 2025, but nothing firm after that. Maybe F1 is hedging their bets with Chicago in case China invades Taiwan and the Chinese GP gets axed?
Welcome race fans to the inaugural Chicago Drive It Like You Stole It F1 Race.
They should consider going back to Indianapolis and doing it correctly before they ever consider Chicago.
NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
In the US you have to provide proof of use - or some good excuse for not doing so - after a few years of the filing, or the mark will go abandoned.
But since F1 is turning more into a circus with each passing season, why not have a Chicago event with Mug Stops instead of Pit Stops? With a little thought they can take the old Roman bread-and-games to a whole new level.
It would be safer to drive the race than to attend as a fan.
Chicago?
Why not Beirut or Kiev?
Chicago?