The Miami Grand Prix raised the bar for off-track action, and November’s inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix promises to take things to another level.

In the modern era, fans need to see more than just the grand prix itself, especially in the US, where expectations are higher for those who attend major events, Steiner said.

“I think the entertainment here is a lot better than it used to be,” Steiner said. “In the old days, we raced, cookie cutter races. We raced one race, we raced the next, we didn’t do anything. We raced for the racing fans.

“Before Liberty Media came in, the sport wasn’t successful in America. I came to America, and when I moved here, I knew America better because I didn’t know it before.

“But you need to live here to understand. People want constant entertainment, not sit there and wait for three hours until the next car pulls out. They want to do something, consume something.

“Other things that are happening, you have concerts, entertainment areas. If you have kids, you want to entertain them, not sit in the stands or on the hill.

“Try telling a 12-year-old that now we have to wait two hours until the car shows up again. That’s pretty hard.”

Kevin Magnussen, Haas VF-23

Photography: Steven Tee / motorsport pictures

Steiner cited the Singapore Grand Prix as a good example of an event that successfully combines athletics with other attractions such as live music.

However, he stressed it was important that the Grand Prix should always remain the main focus of the weekend.

“I think F1 has done a good job of that,” he said. “They started putting more entertainment next to it. They did a lot of games like this for Singapore.

“I think they’re doing it very right, the sport is still at the center of everything. It’s F1, there are two high-end concerts on Friday night and Saturday night.

“It’s not like there’s a concert, by the way, a game on Sunday. Quite the opposite. I think they’re doing a good job. Here (in Miami) they keep bringing it up.”

He added: “I think there’s a good chance our so-called classic races will catch up to this, we’re just racing and nothing else. We’re now in 2023 and people want more entertainment, they want more.

“They don’t just want to see a car. And I think F1 has done a really good job over the last five years, bringing it to consumers and they love coming here because it’s not just F1 racing, but the central point is still F1 racing .

“They always keep that in mind because that’s what F1 is about, not concerts or DJs. I mean, they’re adding, they’re very important, but they’re not the focus.”

Steiner, who has strong NASCAR ties and attended the recent Cup race at Speedway of the Americas, believes F1 has learned its lesson by making it easier for guests to access the paddock.

“I think they’re doing two very similar things,” he noted. “I think NASCAR hasn’t entertained us as much as it does now, they’re a bit behind in that. But I think what F1 has learned from NASCAR is to give people more opportunities as well.

“I mean we have a lot more people in the paddock than we used to, there’s a lot more people here who have the potential to come here and look for partners, sponsors and stuff like that, which was a lot more difficult before.

“NASCAR does that too, with heat transfer and all that stuff. So I think that’s where they see doing better.”