Formula 1 has had a shaky relationship with American drivers. Despite Liberty Media’s extensive efforts to capture the $69 billion US sports market, the historically Euro-centric sport hasn’t produced a competitive American driver this century. Jak Crawford, the highest ranked American in the pipeline to F1, hopes he can change that.
The 19-year-old, raised on the go-kart tracks of Texas, has secured two wins and 10 podiums throughout his Formula 2 career, currently racing for DAMS Lucas Oil. “It’s crazy to think I’m the closest American to F1,” Crawford told Motorsport.
“Americans want to see a driver who’s winning and doing really well for their country, so that’s my goal. I have a great opportunity to become the American driver [if] I’m able to do it.”
Crawford is currently fifth place in the F2 standings — ahead of Kimi Antonelli and Ollie Bearman who are bound for F1 seats with Mercedes and Haas, respectively, next season. “Being ahead of them in the championship gives me confidence and reassurance that I could do that too if I get the chance,” he said. Crawford was also neck and neck with Argentina’s Franco Colapinto in F2 standings when he was called up to F1 by Williams over the summer. “I’m looking forward to getting that chance one day to show what I can do,” he added confidently.
There’s a myriad of factors that have led to the 46-year drought since an American last stood on the top step of an F1 podium (Mario Andretti claimed victory at the 1978 Dutch Grand Prix). Above all, the ladder to F1 is virtually impossible to climb without relocating to Europe as a teenager.
Crawford, for his part, moved to England by himself at 14 to follow the well-worn European developmental path. “It was eye-opening for sure. You don't realize how much you don't know until you're asking your mom how to work the dishwasher,” the softly-spoken Texan said with a laugh. Signing a five-year deal with the Red Bull Driver Academy in 2019, he secured a fully-financed seat in Formula 4. Before that, his karting career was funded by his dad, Tim, who thought the youngster was destined for a career in NASCAR. That was until Helmut Marko, godfather of the illustrious junior program, offered Crawford a life-changing contract.
“It was great at the beginning. The academy gave me a great path and helped me chase my dreams, especially when I started in F4,” he reflected. However, the relationship “fizzled out” over the years, many of which were fraught by the COVID-19 pandemic and fierce competition within the academy.
Graduates of the notoriously cut-throat program, including Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo, have spoken about the pressures placed on them by Marko. Crawford said he was given only one directive by the famed talent spotter: “win the championship.”
“I realised there was no path for me into a race seat [with Red Bull],” Crawford explained. “There were too many guys - a lot of really good ones - so I figured it was best that I left.” He went on to join the Aston Martin Development Program, where he’s eyeing a 2025 reserve role with the team and, if all goes to plan, a 2026 race seat.
Crawford has already started learning from veterans of the sport within Aston Martin. “I've been able to learn so much from Fernando [Alonso], mainly off-track, just listening to him in engineering meetings,” he said of the two-time World Champion. “It’s great to hear what he and Lance [Stroll] say about the car and the language they use because I’m able to apply that to my work with my [F2] team.”
F1’s explosion in popularity in the early 2020s has shone a spotlight on the young drivers in the sport’s development series, who were once largely unknown outside of hardcore motorsport circles.
“It's grown massively, especially with people my age,” Crawford said, referencing the significantly younger demographic who are not only tuning into races, but also engaging with content on social media. “As I’ve gotten closer to the top, I’ve started getting more followers and likes,” he went on, noting his 57,000-strong Instagram following has allowed him to grow his personal brand.
He’s also acutely aware that his country is eager to see one of their own succeed at the pinnacle of racing. However, Liberty Media’s fervent pursuit of American fandom [read: American dollars] doesn’t mean Americans have been fully embraced within the paddock just yet. Michael Andretti’s bid to join the grid was rejected by the sport’s management arm earlier this year, sparking an antitrust investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. Meanwhile, Florida native Logan Sargeant was unceremoniously dumped by Williams mid-season, bringing the American's F1 career to an abrupt end.
With the sport booming, there has never been a stronger financial incentive to invest in an American driver. Williams took that gamble with Sargeant, but inconsistent results and a spate of costly crashes may have left teams wary about hiring an American without strong performances to back up their marketability.
Crawford is focused on proving that a U.S. driver can thrive in the sport, though the path to success remains steep. His next step is a postseason test in Abu Dhabi, where he’ll get behind the wheel of the AMR24. "It's a great opportunity,” he said. “I’ve driven the 2022 car so I already know all of the buttons, which is the most difficult part.” It’s clear Crawford could be on the brink of a breakthrough, and should the stars continue aligning, American fans may have a new countryman to cheer for.
