Tuesday, October 20, 2026

Formula 1 Reports Cumulative Total of 1.5B Viewers in 2021

  • Formula 1 raced to a strong finish in 2021.
  • The motorsport championship reported a cumulative TV audience of 1.5 billion for the 2021 season.
Formula-1-Audience
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports/Design: Alex Brooks

Want more from Front Office Sports
in your search results?

Add Front Office Sports on Google

Formula 1 raced to a strong finish in 2021, gaining the attention of a cumulative TV audience of 1.5 billion, a 4% increase compared to the 2020 World Championship season. 

Globally, F1’s average total audience per race in 2021 reached 70.3 million viewers, and the motorsport championship reported growth in several key markets across the globe. 

  • The Netherlands saw viewership increase 81% year-over-year.
  • There was a 58% uptick in U.S. viewership compared to the 2020 season.
  • France reported a 48% increase year-over-year in viewership.
  • Italy saw a 40% increase in year-over-year viewership.

F1’s season finale in Abu Dhabi drew an audience of 108.7 million viewers, a 28% uptick compared to 2020’s race, marking the most-watched race of the 2021 season, as 24-year-old Max Verstappen claimed his first world championship in a win over Lewis Hamilton.

Looking Ahead 

Last October, F1 saw its drivers compete in the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, ending a two-year absence for the motorsport championship in North America. 

The sold-out race at Circuit of Americas track recorded a 42% increase in viewership over the same race two years before and had nearly 400,000 fans in attendance.

Viewership in North America is projected to continue growing, as the U.S. will get another coveted F1 race when the Miami Grand Prix begins in May — part of a 10-year contract.

Download the FOS App

The business of sports, in your pocket.

QR code to download the app

Scan the QR code to get the app now.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Mark Walter’s F1 Team Still Has Zero Points After Azerbaijan GP

The Cadillac team, which began racing this year, is in 11th place.
Formula One F1 - Miami Grand Prix - Miami International Autodrome, Miami, Florida, United States - May 3, 2026 Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli in action during the race
Exclusive

Dolphins Owner Nearing Deal to Sell 20% Stake in Miami F1 Race

Stephen Ross has owned the Miami Grand Prix since 2021.

F1 Plans 2027 Middle East Return Despite Iran War

F1’s first two 2027 races are scheduled for Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
Formula One F1 - Hungarian Grand Prix - Hungaroring, Budapest, Hungary - July 26, 2026 Red Bull's Isack Hadjar in action during the race REUTERS/Marton Monus

F1 Will Shift Season Finale to Europe if Middle East War Continues

F1 also confirmed that the final race will not be in the U.S.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

10/20/26 – Knicks’ $4K Opener, Brewers’ $2,800 World Series, Colts Call Peyton?

0:00

Featured Today

Why Europe Is Pumping Out NBA Superstars

The NBA and NCAA have an increasingly European flavor.
October 15, 2026

College Flag Football Is Outgrowing Its DIY Era

Women have been building the college game themselves at the club level.
Oct 5, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas arrives at the arena before the Penguins host the Winnipeg Jets at PPG Paints Arena
October 12, 2026

NHL’s New Wave of GMs Is Built Different

“I am in the prediction business,” Devils GM Sunny Mehta tells FOS.
Action Images/Peter Cziborra
October 9, 2026

Is Leicester City’s $264 Million Price Tag Too Rich for Hungry Investors?

After falling from grace, how much is a former top club worth?
Oct 3, 2026; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer waits to run onto the field prior to the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
October 7, 2026

Who Is Alabama Football in Year 3 Under Kalen DeBoer?

The No. 6 Crimson Tide host No. 2 Georgia on Saturday.
Oct 6, 2024; London, United Kingdom; British and United States flags on the field at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
September 29, 2025

From Dublin to London: Vikings on NFL’s First Multi-Country Road Trip

The Jaguars have previously played consecutive games in the U.K.
Jul 30, 2022; Irvine, CA, USA; A general view of the official NFL balls on the field during Los Angeles Rams training camp at University of California Irvine.
October 20, 2025

Saudi Arabia Wants to Bring American Football to the Middle East

The Middle Eastern nation wants to host major football events.
Sponsored

Blake Griffin’s Plan for Media Domination

The former NBA star is building a second act across media & entertainment.
Noah Lyles (USA) wins the men’s 100m final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, France, Monday, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024.
September 22, 2025

Summer Olympics Face a Climate-Induced Heat Check

The World Athletics president says the status quo is not sustainable.
January 13, 2025

Newsom Adamant About L.A. Hosting 2028 Olympics

Gavin Newsom says there’s a “Marshall Plan” to rebuild Los Angeles.
Paralympics Tiktok
August 25, 2024

The Paralympics TikTok Account Isn’t What You Think

A cheeky TikTok account is opening the world of Paralympic sports.
August 11, 2024

Passing of the Torch: Los Angeles Set for Olympic Firsts in 2028

The city last hosted the Summer Olympics in 1984.