Competing in a nation that has been dominated by NASCAR and Indy Car Racing Series, Formula 1, historically, struggled to break into the spotlight in the United States. That was until recently, when average viewership in the US broke over 1.2 million viewers per race in 2022, according to ESPN. They now average 1.35 million per race.
The growing popularity of the sport in America is no shock, due to the increase of availability in streaming services between ESPN and Netflix. Now starting in 2026, F1 will be available on Apple TV, joining the MLB and MLS as sports options. This follows the success of the “F1 The Movie,” which was released on Apple TV this past summer.
Social media has also led to an increase in viewership as well. The popularity of the sport on TikTok, Instagram and Twitter with a target audience of Gen Z viewers have led to many trends. Such trends include Williams Racing driver Carlos Sainz with his highlights posted to Smooth Operator by Sade, after he previously sang it after a win with Ferrari. Eastern senior Paul McConnell says that is the only way he follows Formula 1. “I am not a big fan of following the races from start to finish, so I will tend to catch the major highlights on my instagram or twitter feeds.”
Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen has also had a major impact on the Gen Z viewership increase. Verstappen won four-straight World Drivers Championships between 2021 and 2024, and his popularity increased when Dutch fans started chanting “DU DU DU DU… Max Verstappen” and it got turned into an EDM remix, which became popular on streaming platforms in the US.
Another reason for a growing popularity of the sports is that young fans feel connected with the drivers, as there is a turnover of older drivers into younger drivers. Brazilian driver Gabriel Bortoleto of Audi and Italian Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes are both two of the top young drivers in the sport. Bortoleto, 21, and Antonelli, 19, have been a huge aspect of F1 social media, since they relate to their peers on the app.
With growing popularity on streaming services, trends on social media, and a younger generation taking over the field, it is evident that Formula 1 may take over as America’s favorite genre of racing for generations to come.
