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Monday, July 14, 2025

The Most Watched Formula 1 Races in U.S. Television History

  • The 2024 Miami Grand Prix tops the list with 3.1 million U.S. viewers.
  • Five of the races to make the list were won by Max Verstappen.
May 5, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; McLaren driver Lando Norris (4) reacts after winning the Miami Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

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 grid expansion, makes the future look 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 2024 Miami Grand Prix is the most-watched Formula 1 race, drawing 3.1 million viewers in the United States. The 2025 Miami Grand Prix failed to reach the same viewership heights as the year prior but still finished in the top five of most-watched Formula 1 races in the U.S. all time. Its mark of 2.1 million viewers was soon bested by the 2.3 million viewers for the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix weeks later, the fourth-highest viewership total for a Formula 1 race all-time (and third-highest live viewership total)

Miami has become an essential stop on the Grand Prix tour since its debut in 2022.

Although still in its infancy on the circuit, the Miami Grand Prix is proving to be one of F1’s most successful ventures.

Max Verstappen has been dominant on the circuit since winning his first world championship title in 2021. He has won five of the most-watched races on this list.

Some observers fear his dominance could hurt viewership in the U.S., which has developed into a key growth market for F1. The addition of GM as a competing team on the circuit could be the key to boosting U.S. viewership.

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: March 27, 2025
RankingYearRaceWinnerReported U.S. Viewership
12024Miami Grand PrixLando Norris3.1 million
22002Monaco Grand Prix*David Coulthard2.78 million
32022Miami Grand PrixMax Verstappen2.6 million
42025Monaco Grand PrixLando Norris2.3 million
52025Miami Grand PrixOscar Piastri2.1 million
62023Miami Grand PrixMax Verstappen1.96 million
72023Monaco Grand PrixMax Verstappen1.79 million
82023Canadian Grand PrixMax Verstappen1.76 million
91995Brazilian Grand PrixMichael Schumacher1.74 million
102014Canadian Grand PrixDaniel Ricciardo1.49 million

*Shown on tape delay

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