Formula One (most commonly known as F1 is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA).
The word formula in the name refers to the rules to which all participants must conform.
An F1 season consists of a series of races, known as the Grand Prix.
The Grand Prix takes place in multiple countries and continents around the world.
F1’s inaugural season was in 1950.
Below, we will look at F1’s US viewership doubling since 2018 and the F1’s Netflix series which helped boost ratings.
F1 U.S. Viewership Doubled Since 2018
Formula One has seen viewership in the United States double since 2018.
One out of every three F1 fans started following the sport in the last four years.
Here is the U.S. viewership of F1 since 2017.
- 2017: 538,000
- 2018: 554,000
- 2019: 671,000
- 2020: 609,000
- 2021: 949,000
- 2022: 1,210,000
One out of every three F1 fans started following the sport in the last four years.
(via @TheAthletic) pic.twitter.com/yvYqhGAWdD
— Boardroom (@boardroom) May 7, 2023
F1 has enjoyed a steady rise in viewership in the United States since 2018.
The rise in popularity is mostly due to Netflix’s Formula 1: Drive to Survive documentary which was first released on March 8, 2019.
F1 Netflix Series: Drive to Survive
F1’s Netflix documentary “Drive to Survive” is a documentary series produced in a collaboration between Netflix and Formula One.
It gives a behind-the-scenes look at the drivers and races of the Formula 1 World Championship.
There are five seasons in the documentary and each season has 10 episodes.
Season 1: 2018 World Championship
The first season was a 10-part series that covered the 2018 F1 World Championship.
It is the first to truly immerse the audience inside the cockpits, the paddock, and the lives of the players in Formula 1.
The documentary has unparalleled and exclusive access to the world’s fastest drivers, team principals and owners, as well as F1’s management team.
Season 1 premiered on Netflix on March 8, 2019.
Season 2: 2019 World Championship
The second season was a 10-part series covering the 2019 World Championship and included every team, including Ferrari and Mercedes who had not allowed Netflix to cover their teams in the first season.
Season two covered Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg’s misfortunes at Renault, Pierre Gasly’s chaotic year which culminated in his demotion to Toro Rosso, The Belgian Grand Prix weekend, and the death of Formula 2 driver Anthoine Hubert.
The second season premiered on Netflix on February 28, 2020.
Season 3: 2020 World Championship
The third season premiered on March 19, 2021, and it covered the 2020 F1 World Championship.
Season three continued some drivers’ stories from the previous season, such as Daniel Ricciardo’s dissatisfaction at Renault and Pierre Gasly’s attempts to regain his lost seat at Red Bull.
It also covered the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Scuderia Ferrari’s struggle to remain competitive following the power unit controversy of the previous year and Romain Grosjean’s serious crash at the Bahrain Grand Prix are also covered in season three.
Season 4: 2021 World Championship
Season four premiered on Netflix on March 11, 2022.
This season covered the fierce title battle of that season between seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton and Dutch driver Max Verstappen.
Season 5: 2022 World Championship
Season five documents the 2022 World Championship.
This season covers the trials and tribulations of the Scuderia Ferrari, the porpoising issue of the Mercedes W13, the path leading up to Sergio Perez’s win at the Monaco Grand Prix, the controversy surrounding Oscar Piastri’s contract dispute, and Daniel Ricciardo’s struggles at McLaren.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen confirmed that Season 5 marks his first full appearance within in-show interviews.
Season five had 10 episodes and it premiered on February 24, 2023.
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