There are a few reasons why Formula 1 (F1) is not as popular in the United States as it is in other parts of the world. As far as I can tell it is because it has to compete with NASCAR and Indycar for the affections of American fans, and F1 receives less coverage and exposure as a result.
As the series has grown in popularity, so to has the real thing. The 2022 F1 World Championship season ended as the most-viewed ever on American television, hitting 1.21 million viewers per race across ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC. Its previous record, 949,000 views per race, was set in 2021.
Soaring viewership means the sport is also reaching new audiences. The 2021 season, which featured one of the most thrilling championship battles in history, averaged 949,000 U.S. viewers, according to ESPN. The 2022 season beat that by 28%, topping 1 million viewers on average per race for the first time.
NASCAR has been loosing attendance of late, however, the major reason for popularity is Accessibility. Americans can attend 40 some races in the USA. F1 fans can attend one race in Texas. Television carries NASCAR races and analysis shows every week all year.
Contrary to the ongoing claims that F1 is booming like never before, TV viewing figures for 2022 actually show a drop compared to the previous season.
Where is the highest F1 viewership by country? The highest F1 viewership by country is found in Great Britain, although viewership of the sport is high throughout Western Europe. Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands are other Western European nations with high Formula 1 viewership numbers.
While Formula One has always been incredibly popular worldwide, there's no denying that the NFL has historically been miles ahead with regard to revenue and general viewership. It is by far the wealthiest professional sports league globally, also boasting the highest average crowd attendance.
Born in December 2000 in Boca Raton, Florida, Logan Sargeant is the only American driver currently on the grid when he makes his Formula 1 debut at the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix. For perspective, the last time an American driver took to the track in a Grand Prix, it was Alexander Rossi at the 2015 Brazilian Grand Prix.
In the 2022 season, NASCAR averaged over three million viewers per race, the most they've had in four years. Meanwhile, the 2021 Formula 1 season saw an average of 70 million viewers per race. Despite the current chasm in the two's popularities, the sports had similar beginnings.
A total of 445 million people can call themselves Formula 1 fans, as that is the number of people who watched it on TV in the last 12 months. As many as 2.69 million fans attended races in-person throughout 2021. Formula 1, in other words, in not an obscure sport.
Formula 1 is one of the world's fastest-growing sports. Each F1 race is watched by more than 75 million people globally — and brands are now leveraging that audience to make billions.
But F1 is more global than NASCAR, thanks to the schedule and viewership. NASCAR is quite limited to the US as most of the circuits are in the Americas, while F1 takes place at various locations worldwide, including the US. So, Formula 1 has a broader audience than NASCAR.
As stated above, IndyCar is often considered the “American version” of Formula 1, but the cars, rules, and racetracks are actually much different. For instance, IndyCar races take place on both F1-style road courses and on speedways (aka oval-tracks) throughout the season.
Formula 1 teams generally make money through F1 prize money, sponsorships, and car manufacturers. F1 implemented team budget caps in 2021 to level the playing field and limit team spending—the limit is $135 million per team in 2023.
One in three (34%) U.S. adults are interested in Formula 1 racing, and three quarters (76%) of NASCAR fans are interested in Formula 1.
F1's U.S. fan growth was about 10 percent since the Netflix series debut, per a Nielsen study of “Drive to Survive,” Formula One races and other content.
F1 cars are much lighter and more aerodynamic than NASCAR vehicles, which allows them to achieve much higher speeds. The average F1 car can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 1.6 seconds and reach top speeds of over 370 km/h.
The Mazda Miata is the most-raced car in North America, and for good reason.
F1 drivers are the highest-paid athletes in motorsports, taking home $11.4 million on average across all 20 drivers on the 2022 grid – a figure set to slightly reduce this year with high-earners Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo stepping away.
The drivers' title has been won twice for the United States, with Phil Hill winning in 1961 and Mario Andretti being victorious in 1978.
Determining the exact price of an F1 car can be extremely difficult, as various factors contribute to their overall cost. On average, an F1 car is estimated to cost between $12 and $20 million.
ESPN has been the U.S. rights holder in a boom time for F1, and the series will expand its calendar to a record 24 races in 2023. That includes three in the U.S. in Austin, Miami and Las Vegas.
Formula One (F1) is the most prestigious motor-racing competition on the planet. Every season, from March to December, 10 F1 teams participate in races across the world.
Football/Soccer
Soccer, also known as association football, is by far the most popular sport in the world, despite the fact that it may not be obvious in the United States. Soccer is the most popular sport in practically all of Europe, South America, Africa, the Middle East, Central America, and Asia.
Formula 1 is more popular than cricket and tennis and equally popular to football but football is most watched sports.