The 49th and current Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris, recently expressed her enthusiasm for Formula 1 racing and her admiration for the sport’s seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton. Harris revealed her interest in an interview with veteran broadcaster Howard Stern on his SiriusXM radio show, where she spoke candidly about her love for F1 and how it has become a shared passion for her entire family.

Harris is not the only high-profile American politician to show support for the sport this year. Earlier in the season, former U.S. President Donald Trump attended the Miami Grand Prix as a guest of McLaren, sparking controversy and backlash from fans. Many criticized McLaren for allowing Trump to visit their garage during the race weekend. Despite the backlash, the Woking-based team welcomed the former president, who came to support McLaren’s Lando Norris. Trump’s appearance coincided with a milestone moment for Norris, as he claimed his maiden victory in Formula 1 during that weekend.

Kamala Harris, Trump’s presidential opponent, has now expressed her own connection to Formula 1, but under very different circumstances. When asked about her interest in the sport, Harris spoke passionately about it, noting that her entire family shares the excitement and that it has become something they all follow closely. During the interview, Stern humorously questioned whether her interest in F1 was “a campaign thing,” implying it might be a tactic to gain favor with younger voters or the increasing American audience for the sport. However, Harris quickly dispelled that notion, insisting that her fascination with F1 is genuine and longstanding. “Oh, god no! I haven’t been able to watch it a lot recently, because I am campaigning,” she explained, highlighting the challenges of balancing her busy schedule with keeping up with the races.

Harris also admitted that her favorite driver is Lewis Hamilton, who has been a dominant force in Formula 1 for over a decade. “Lewis Hamilton, of course,” she replied enthusiastically when asked about her top choice. The Vice President went on to discuss Hamilton’s upcoming departure from Mercedes, noting his move to Ferrari for the 2025 season. Her admiration for Hamilton is evident, and she encouraged Stern to give the sport a chance, saying: “You should see it, you might get hooked, it’s good stuff.”

The growing popularity of Formula 1 in the United States has been significantly boosted by Netflix’s hit series Drive to Survive, which premiered in 2019 and gave American audiences a closer look at the drivers, teams, and behind-the-scenes drama of the sport. The series saw its viewership spike during the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, bringing in a surge of new fans. Interest in the sport has continued to climb, and the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, where Trump made his appearance, recorded the largest live U.S. TV audience for an F1 race. According to ESPN, the event drew an average of 3.1 million viewers on ABC, peaking at 3.6 million.

Next week, the Formula 1 circus heads to Austin, Texas, for the United States Grand Prix. As Lando Norris continues his chase to close the gap with championship leader Max Verstappen, many are curious to see if Harris will attend the event to show her support for Lewis Hamilton in his final year as a Mercedes driver. With her evident passion for the sport and Hamilton, her presence would add to the growing American excitement surrounding Formula 1.