Once considered a European spectacle with little resonance in the U.S., Formula 1 is now revving its engines on American soil. With increased accessibility, skyrocketing viewership, and even the formation of a potential American team, Andretti Cadillac, the sport is becoming a mainstream fixation.
The Liberty Media and Netflix Tipping Point
Liberty Media’s acquisition and subsequent partnership with ESPN in 2018 dismantled several barriers, making F1 more reachable to U.S. audiences. No longer confined to obscure channels and inconvenient times, the sport now had a platform to shine. However, it was Netflix’s series “Drive To Survive” that truly accelerated F1’s American fame. The docu-series provided an intimate look into the sport, humanizing it and drawing in a new wave of fans. This culminated in the 2022 Miami Grand Prix becoming the most-watched F1 race of that year, with 2.583 million viewers.
Beyond the F1 Track: The Numbers Tell the Tale
American viewership isn’t just growing—it’s thriving. Recent reports indicate a 40% surge in first-week viewing minutes for the latest season of “Drive To Survive.” Moreover, the 2023 season opener shattered previous records, with an average of 1.353 million Americans tuning in via ESPN alone. Even more promising for the sport’s U.S. future is the advance of Andretti Cadillac in the application process to become an American F1 team, signaling a new level of domestic investment and engagement in the sport.
With the wheels set in motion by Liberty Media and kept rolling by Netflix, Formula 1 is no longer a foreign concept in the U.S. but a burgeoning mainstream passion. The rising numbers and the advent of Andretti Cadillac are evidence enough—Formula 1 has earned its American pit stop.