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Chace Crawford inaugurated this his first Formula 1 weekend at the Circuit of The Americas in Texas while introducing the official cocktail of the event. The ‘Gossip Girl’ actor made a cocktail called the “Patrón Citrus Circuit” with the help of Patrón Tequila and shared his joy on various social media. His message received a lot of responses from fans who expressed their congratulations to him concerning both his professional and private life.
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Chace Crawford has most certainly taken to the fast-moving world of F1 motorsports. The actor best known for his role as Nate Archibald in the hugely successful series ‘Gossip Girl’ was at the Austin Circuit, where he simultaneously made the first official F1 tastings, and represented the brand Patrón Tequila. The partnership with the spirits company allowed the actor to experience both the luxury branding and the race culture coming with it the new COTA cocktail launch, the Patrón Citrus Circuit.
“First F1 in the books and we did it in Texas,” Crawford said, along with pictures from the event. “What a great weekend with Patrón giving birth to the official cocktail of COTA.” His caption took us along the tour of the places he visited, “from the cantina to the Hacienda to the track,” and he declared the Citrus Circuit had become his “new favorite cocktail.”
Crawford’s post soon attracted a lot of attention from his huge fan base, and many of the comments were linking him to his iconic character. One observer remarked, “Spotted: Nate Archibald in the flesh at his first F1 race,” and another one, in Spanish, said, “Flagrado: Nate Archibald robando el show en el paddock?” The comparisons with his ‘Gossip Girl’ character showed how much and how widely Crawford is still linked to the rich and famous Manhattan society which he acted out onscreen, even though his professional domains have changed during the years.
In addition to this, most of the readers were also talking about the actor’s relationship with model Kelsey Merritt. One of them, an admirer said, “They’re both lucky to have each other, I love you guys @chacecrawford @kelseymerritt Can’t wait for the wedding.” Another one commented, “Last photo with Kelsey,” a reflection of one of the post’s pictures featuring the couple. The attention on Crawford’s personal life suggests that his relationship has moved on from being just part of the public narrative.
Also, in the comments section, one could find some funny critiques regarding the cocktail-making skills of the actor. User Max Shapiro made a mock-serious evaluation: “The way you shook that cocktail made me feel like a failure as your cocktailing coach. All the time we spent. All the techniques bestowed. Wow, man. Wow. Nice smile though. Good teeth.” The playful jab at Crawford’s mixology technique was very contrasting to the generally celebratory tone of other responses.
Luis Rodriguez, the event’s photographer, wrote, “Ayyyeee!!! My man was lit all weekend! It was a pleasure! And a fun one!” implying that Crawford was not just doing the F1 life professionally, but he was living the experience beyond his work obligations. Someone else pointed out the similarity of his current activities and his past ones saying, “From jiant to cota!”—referring to his role in the Amazon series ‘The Boys’ where he plays a superhero named The Deep who is also a giant.
However, not all the comments were positive. One person who spoke Portuguese made a soft negative comment: “Ei cara. Isso não é legal” (“Hey man. That’s not cool”), but the particular criticism was not made clear. Another one insinuated that Crawford “should have gone to the F1 in Singapore,” which implied that perhaps other tracks might offer better and more exciting experiences.
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Crawford’s debut in F1 has brought a wide variety of different responses, which indicates that he still is a strong presence across different age groups—from nostalgic ‘Gossip Girl’ viewers and racing fans to relationship followers. His ability to keep the audience interested while managing new commercial partnerships is a sign of a career evolution that is not confined to his initial television stardom. The weekend in Texas was both a person’s breakthrough and a professional landmark for the actor whose participation in brand collaborations and experiential marketing seems to be increasing. The successful blending of Crawford into the F1 lifestyle suggests that there will be more entertainment personalities collaborating with luxury brands in the racing world. Chace Crawford recently celebrated a milestone birthday, and this F1 appearance continues his high-profile engagements. The event also featured discussions about the 2026 driver lineup that has been generating significant buzz among racing enthusiasts. Additionally, rising star Franco Colapinto has been gaining attention in the Formula 1 world, while Sergio Perez continues to make moves with his new team.
This story originally appeared on Celebrityinsider
