The business prospects for Formula 1 continue to pick up speed off the track.
Record revenue for the first quarter of this year coupled with a possible expansion of the grid leaves the future looking bright.
Thanks in part to Netflix’s Drive to Survive docu-series, more Americans are watching races than ever before. Out of the most-watched Formula 1 races, six of them have been within the last three years.
The most-watched Formula 1 race is the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, drawing 3.1 million viewers in the United States.
Miami has become an essential stop on the Grand Prix tour since its debut in 2022. It had become the most-watched live F1 race in U.S. history with 2.6 million viewers. But this year’s Grand Prix topped it with a 16% increase in viewership over the 2022 edition. Lando Norris notched his first career Formula 1 win in the 57-lap event.
Although still in its infancy in the circuit, the Miami Grand Prix is proving to be one of the most successful ventures for F1.
Max Verstappen has been dominant on the circuit since his first world championships title in 2021, and five of the most-watched races to make this list were won by Verstappen.
Some observers fear his dominance could hurt viewership in the U.S. while the country has developed into a key growth market for F1, but recent ratings show there’s still room for audience growth stateside.
Verstappen’s recent dominance draws parallels to modern F1 legend Michael Schumacher, who also seemed to break through to reach American audiences.
At his height during the 90s and early 2000s, Schumacher’s win at the 1995 Brazilian Grand Prix drew 1.74 million American viewers. It happened during a season where he won his second straight World Drivers’ Championship.
Schumacher also won the 2006 San Marino Grand Prix, attracting 1.6 million U.S. viewers in the process. He was in his final season of racing and secured Ferrari’s first win.
Ranking The Most Watched Formula 1 Races in U.S. History
Here is the list of the top 10 most-watched Formula 1 races based on reported viewership in the United States. The list was compiled using historical data from SportsMediaWatch and ESPNPressRoom.
- Updated: July 12, 2024
| Ranking | Year | Race | Winner | Reported U.S. Viewership |
| 1 | 2024 | Miami Grand Prix | Lando Norris | 3.1 million |
| 2 | 2002 | Monaco Grand Prix | David Coulthard | 2.78 million |
| 3 | 2022 | Miami Grand Prix | Max Verstappen | 2.6 million |
| 4 | 2023 | Miami Grand Prix | Max Verstappen | 1.96 million |
| 5 | 2023 | Monaco Grand Prix | Max Verstappen | 1.79 million |
| 6 | 2023 | Canadian Grand Prix | Max Verstappen | 1.76 million |
| 7 | 1995 | Brazilian Grand Prix | Michael Schumacher | 1.74 million |
| 8 | 2014 | Canadian Grand Prix | Daniel Ricciardo | 1.49 million |
| 9 | 2006 | San Marino Grand Prix | Michael Schumacher | 1.6 million |
| 10 | 2023 | Las Vegas Grand Prix | Max Verstappen | 1.3 million |
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