Formula 1 cruised to a new viewership record this season — and that is perhaps underselling its success.
The 2022 Formula 1 season averaged 1.21 million viewers across the ESPN family of networks, the highest average on record for the series and up 28% from the previous high set last year (949K). Prior to last year, the all-time mark was 748,000 in 1995. Viewership has now grown 125% in the five years since ESPN resumed airing the series and 230% in the decade since previous rights partners NBC and NBCSN began airing races in 2013 (366K).
Of the 22 races run this season, eight scored an all-time record audience, three a record live audience, two a record cable audience and one — the inaugural Miami Grand Prix — the largest live audience in series history (2.58M).
The season ended with a rare decline last weekend as the season finale from Abu Dhabi averaged a 0.51 and 930,000 on ESPN2 opposite World Cup coverage — down from last year’s 0.55 and 998,000. The race, which peaked with 1.3 million viewers in the final quarter-hour, was one of just five all season to average fewer than one million viewers.
F1 saw particular growth this season in the younger demographics, with viewership 43% in adults 18-34 (238K), 46% in 25-34 (169K) and 49% in teens 12-17 (36K). By comparison, growth in adults 18-49 was in line with the overall averages, rising 29% to 521,000.
Viewership was also up disproportionately among women, rising 34% to 352,000.
Beyond the races themselves, qualifying sessions averaged 554,000 viewers — up 17% from last year (475K).
(Nielsen estimates from ESPN PR)
