If FOX really got HD, the US GP would be in HD today
While some networks seem to lead the way in HD, -- like CBS producing the very first NFL game in HD almost 10 years ago -- other networks just can't stop dragging their feet. Sure FOX shows up sometimes, -- like producing 6 NFL games a week in HD, even if they don't look that great -- but they still confuse consumers with their "FOX Widescreen" and there are still many events that deserve the HD treatment, but don't get it. Sure F1 racing isn't very popular in the US, but it is just a kick in the head to every US F1 fan when FOX down-grades the signal here, because they aren't willing to pay a dime extra to F1 to upgrade the signal. So while the rest of the world at least gets widescreen coverage, US fans will have to settle for 4x3 SD. The economics of a single event aside, the overall image of the network is diminished when they fail to deliver on a major worldwide event like the US GP.
**UPDATE** FOX did step up and at least present the race in EDTV, which we are grateful for, but it still isn't HD -- lucky for us, the US Open is.