Globally, Formula One racing has always enjoyed a varied fanbase. This is, in part, thanks to the longstanding history of racing competitions, which have existed since the motorsport era began in the 1920s. Similarly, F1 racers and constructors travel the world each year as they battle against their competitors.
In other words, it’s a truly global sport. However, compared to other staples like football, rugby, and cricket, F1’s fanbase hasn’t been anything to write home about in terms of size or fanaticism. But that’s changed radically in the last three years. Since 2020, F1 has risen in popularity among viewers worldwide.
In 2021, a study from Nielsen found that the fan base had almost doubled since the last survey in 2017. During that brief period, the average age of F1 viewers lowered by four years to 32. So, what’s behind this newfound passion for F1 vehicles and the short list of drivers?
Netflix Delves Deep into the Drama
First and foremost, Netflix helped contribute to this massive rise in fan numbers. Back in 2020, they released their inaugural season of Drive to Survive. This documentary took a highly dramatic approach to F1 coverage, preferring to zero in on the highly competitive world of drivers and constructors. It shed light not just on how the racing series works, but how high-stakes every single decision and action is.
Since then, other smaller series have also popped up. For example, Red Bull Racing penned a deal with PokerStars, the world’s largest online provider of poker games. The partnership led to a series called ‘Between the Lines’, which covers the intersection of poker skills and F1 technical skills. Compared to other athletes, F1 drivers must also rely on the analytical skills of a poker pro. Similar to Netflix’s documentary, this series delves into a riveting aspect of the sport.
The Rise of Red Bull
The Netflix docuseries takes the lion’s share of credit for putting F1 on the map—but that’s missing one of the best elements of the show’s timing. When the series started in 2020, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton was still on top of his game. However, the series takes viewers to the front seat as Red Bull’s Max Verstappen dethrones the longstanding King of F1.
The drama simply didn’t stop unfolding once the Netflix series started. Interestingly enough, Hamilton decided to sit out of the interviews during the 2020 season because he preferred to focus on his races. By the second season, Hamilton had opted into the series—but Verstappen took a step back to focus on racing and ended the 2021 season as the driver’s champion.
…And Other Worthy Competitors
While most of the F1 world has zeroed in on the Mercedes-Red Bull/Hamilton-Verstappen drama, there have been other drivers and constructors to also throw a wrench into things. For example, Aston Martin rejoined F1 in 2021 after receiving a huge investment from an American billionaire—and after a few missteps, the Aston Martin team is now competing for podium finishes.
Similarly, McLaren and Ferrari are also giving fans something to follow. McLaren looks to have implemented critical changes to its vehicle, allowing its drivers a better chance to finish first. At the same time, Ferrari seems to have hit a few critical obstacles. Not only are its vehicles underperforming this year, but stars like Charles Leclerc seem to be slipping up at the wheel.
New Grand Prix Excitement
The perfect intersection of documentary coverage and a new legacy has helped bolster interest in F1 worldwide. But there’s a third secret ingredient that has taken this series in a new direction since 2020: the addition of new Grand Prix races. Since the Netflix docuseries aired in 2020, there have been six new additions.
In 2021, Formula One Racing added the first-ever Qatar Grand Prix and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to its lineup, along with a stop in Portugal. After multi-year absences, F1 added the Australian, Canadian, Japanese, and Singaporean Grand Prix to its 2022 lineup. This also included a restart of the Miami Grand Prix. This year, in 2023, the season will conclude with another restarted American race in Las Vegas.
