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We’re in the home stretch for the 2024 presidential election season, and candidates, especially those who are bad at interviews (when they do them), will try to get some votes wherever they can.

For Vice President and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, that means Formula 1 fans.

Harris was in the midst of her highly-publicized softball interview with Howard Stern — not the old Howard Stern that everyone enjoyed; the modern version that is about as edgy as your pearl-clutching great aunt — when Harris mentioned that she enjoyed Formula 1.

Or at least claimed to.

“You really love that?” Stern said after Harris mentioned F1.

“We love it, our whole family does!” she said.

Then Stern — who is firmly on Harris’ side — even seemed to sniff this out as a campaign tactic.

“It’s not a campaign thing?” he asked.

“No, god no,” Harris said, before immediately backtracking. “Well, actually I haven’t been able to watch it a lot recently because I am campaigning.” 

The vice president then attempted to explain how time zones work.

Look, I don’t want to be that guy, but if you’re that big of a fan, you download the F1TV app, pay $79.99 for the season and you can watch anywhere. Most Grand Prix outside the US are done by lunchtime.

C’mon, Kamala; if you’re a big fan you’d be finding ways to watch.

Stern then asked who Harris’ favorite driver was and she gave a definitely off-the-cuff, unprepared answer.

“Lewis Hamilton, of course,” she said,

When Stern said he had no clue who that is, Harris did what you do anytime someone says they don’t know who you’re talking about: spit out a random fact that will mean nothing to them because, again, they don’t know who you’re talking about.

“He’s leaving Mercedes,” she said. “You don’t watch Formula 1?”

No, Kamala. The billionaire who is still scared of COVID doesn’t watch much Formula 1.

I don’t mean to be cynical, but I felt like I could hear the conversation ahead of time with Harris’ campaign staff.

“Madame Vice President, try to mention Formula 1, then say your favorite driver is Lewis Hamilton. Make sure to mention that he’s leaving Mercedes even if you have to really shoehorn it into conversation so idiots believe what you’re talking about… oh, also, try to explain timezones like you’re speaking to a preschooler.”

Maybe I’m wrong and Harris is a die-hard F1 fan, but I have a hard time believing this will gain her any votes.

If anything it’s a tough look for us F1 fans. 

NASCAR has Busch Light and Trump, while we’re stuck with Heineken 0.0 and Kamala.