Formula 1 viewership could not quite measure up to last year, but that was the only shortcoming for the second-most watched season on record.
The complete 22-race Formula 1 season averaged 1.11 million viewers across the ESPN family of networks, down 8% from last year (1.21M) but up 17% from 2021 (949K). This season trails only last year — when viewership was boosted by a record performance or the inaugural Miami Grand Prix — as the most-watched on record. This season was just the third in the past decade in which viewership declined from the prior year, joining 2016 and the delayed, shortened 2020 campaign.
Viewership nonetheless towered over what had once been the norm. F1 races averaged 554,000 viewers five years ago and 366,000 a decade ago. (While out-of-home viewing factors into all historical comparisons, it is unlikely to fully account for growth of such magnitude.)
Formula 1 average viewership, past decade
Eight races this season set a new viewership high, matching last year. That list does not include last Sunday’s season finale at Abu Dhabi, which averaged a 0.50 rating and 927,000 viewers across ESPN and ESPNU — down from last year on ESPN2 (0.51, 930K).
The most-watched race was the Miami GP, which averaged 1.96 million viewers in its second year of existence, followed by Monaco (1.79M) and Canada (1.76M). Those three, each of which aired on ABC, rank among the four most-watched live F1 races on record.
While viewership declined a modest 8% overall, the declines in the key young adult demographics were more pronounced. Viewership fell 15% in adults 18-49 (from 521K to 444K) and 20% in 18-34 (from 238K to 190K).
Compared to other motorsports series, the F1 season ranks behind IndyCar on NBC and USA Network (1.32M across Nielsen and Adobe Analytics) and far behind the NASCAR Cup Series on FOX, FS1, NBC and USA (2.86M). Viewership did outpace the secondary NASCAR Xfinity Series (1.01M) and Truck Series (594K). Keep in mind that the majority of F1 races air in the morning hours, compared to afternoon windows for the domestic racing series.
