Formula 1 Achieves Record Viewership on ESPN Platforms in the US
The 2023 Formula 1 World Championship season, broadcast on major sports network ESPN’s platforms, has marked its place as the second most-viewed F1 season of all time on US television. The season, aired on ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC, garnered an average of 1.11 million viewers, marking a achievement just shy of last year’s record-setting average of 1.21 million.
The 2022 average viewership figure encompassed the groundbreaking inaugural Miami Grand Prix, which drew a staggering 2.6 million average viewers – the largest live audience ever for a Formula 1 race on US television.
The F1 2023 season showcased three of the four largest live American TV audiences for F1 races on record. The Miami Grand Prix led the pack with 1.96 million viewers, followed by Monaco with 1.79 million and Canada with 1.76 million. Eight races set US television viewership records, including events in Saudi Arabia, Monaco, Canada, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Singapore, and Mexico.
Adding to the success, the Monaco Grand Prix made its live debut on ABC, attracting its largest live audience on record with 1.79 million viewers. Even the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix on November 19, starting at 1 am ET, managed to captivate an average audience of 1.3 million.
The season’s finale, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 26, recorded an average audience of 927,000 on ESPN, with an additional F1 Kids alternate telecast on ESPNU.
Formula 1’s viewership in the US has been on a steady rise since its return to ESPN platforms in 2018. The average viewership nearly doubled from 554,000 in 2018 to an impressive 1.11 million in 2023.
The 2023 F1 season marked the first of a three-year renewal between ESPN and Formula 1, a deal announced in 2022. This partnership ensures F1 races will be aired across ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2 through the 2025 season, building on the foundation of the previous agreement struck in 2019.
The collaboration between the top motor racing series and Netflix has been extended, with the docuseries set to return for its fifth and sixth seasons in 2023 and 2024. As the anticipation for the 2024 F1 season builds, fans can mark their calendars for the opening race on March 2 at the Bahrain International Circuit.
