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The lack of on-track excitement at the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix led to drivers and team principals clamoring for changes after the race. The prestigious Formula One event, however, still brought in a record U.S. audience.
Sunday’s race in Monaco, which aired at 9 a.m. ET, drew 2.3 million viewers on ABC, the most-watched iteration of the event in the U.S., up from 2 million last year. It’s the third-most-watched F1 race in the U.S., behind the Miami Grand Prix in 2024 (3.1 million) and 2022 (2.6 million). It is also the most-watched F1 race so far this year, drawing more than this year’s Miami Grand Prix (2.1 million).
Monaco Grand Prix Viewership
- 2025: 2.3 million (ABC)
- 2024: 2.0 million (ABC)
- 2023: 1.8 million (ABC)
- 2022: 1.4 million (ESPN)
- 2021: 934,000 (ESPN2)
F1 is averaging 1.3 million viewers so far through seven races on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2, ahead of the last two years that finished with 1.1 million viewers. The F1 season, however, does see more dips in U.S. viewership in the back half of the year, with Miami and Monaco as two of the biggest draws.
Change Needed
Overtaking has been difficult in Monaco for the last few years, particularly in 2024 when there were just four overtakes and the top 10 at the start of the race remained unchanged by the end.
F1 added a rule change this year aimed at delivering additional intrigue. Teams were required to use three sets of tires rather than the standard two, which would mean more pit stops. The change failed to deliver its desired outcome as there was just one legal overtake during Sunday’s race.
There may be more changes to come, though it’s unclear what will allow for more overtaking in the street race.
“I’m not pretending I have a solution. But I cannot say what happened was good for the sport,” Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu said Sunday. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner suggested there should be a change in the layout of the track to allow for at least one area for overtaking.
One solution that is off the table is to move on from Monaco. Late last year, F1 extended its contract to race in Monaco until 2031.
