Formula 1 Group CEO Chase Carey has been named Honorary Chairman of the 31st Motorsport Hall of Fame of America induction ceremony.
Carey will chair the black-tie event in Daytona Beach on 12 March, bringing two days of celebration to a close, and will deliver a speech to open the awards ceremony before travelling to Australia for the season-opening round of the 2019 F1 season in Melbourne.
Included among the seven honourees for 2019 are three-time Indianapolis 500 victor Dario Franchitti, NASCAR legend Tony Stewart and 1993 500cc Grand Prix motorcycle champion Kevin Schwantz.
Carey follows names such as Daytona 500 winner Kurt Busch and MSHFA member 1978 F1 world champion Mario Andretti in filling the role of Honorary Chairman.
65-year-old Carey described the invitation as an “honour” and said that while F1 does not hold the same stature in the Americas that it enjoys in Europe, the sport is targeting raising its profile in the region.
“[This is] an event that more than any other, celebrates the amazing and prestigious history of motorsport in the USA,” said Carey.
“Formula 1 is an integral part of that history, even if it does not yet have the impact it has in Europe for example. In fact, one of our specific objectives is to make this sport even more popular in the USA, unleashing what we really believe is the greatest racing show on the planet.”
Alongside Andretti, fellow F1 champions Jim Clark, Emerson Fittipaldi, Phil Hill, Denny Hulme and Nigel Mansell are all inductees. Legendary figures and team owners Colin Chapman, Dan Gurney and Bruce McLaren also feature on the exceptional honour roll.
MSHFA president Ron Watson paid his thanks to Carey for accepting the invite so close to the start of the F1 season, just three days before the first Free Practice session at the Albert Park Circuit.
“We are honoured to have Mr. Carey join us in Daytona Beach for the 31st annual MSHFA induction ceremony,” said Watson.
“That he was even able to accept our invitation to be Honorary Chairman so close to the 2019 Formula One season-opening race halfway around the world means a great deal to all of us and will no doubt be appreciated by this year’s Inductees and the hundreds of other guests from all walks of motorsports in attendance.”
