Until the Brazilian Grand Prix, the drivers' title still remained uncertain and disputed between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. At the same time, McLaren F1, Red Bull and Ferrari continue to engage in an intense battle to reach or remain at the top of the constructors' standings.
The spectacle and suspense are therefore there in this second half of the F1 season. And this is reflected in sports audiences.
The races are firstly sold out: this was confirmed by Stefano Domenicali, CEO of F1 for Liberty Media.
“We have a three-way battle for the Constructors' Championship between McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull. And the Drivers' Championship is still very much alive as we head into the final races between Verstappen and Norris, after three events in Austin, Mexico and Brazil, in front of huge crowds. It's great to see the diversity of winners this year. »
“Something that gets fans pumped and builds excitement and participation for a special season in 2025.”
“Attendance has been on the rise since the start of the season, with many races sold out and seven races setting new attendance records, including the British Grand Prix, which welcomed 480,000 fans over the weekend -end, the biggest crowd of the season. In the third quarter, the Grand Prix of Hungary, Belgium, the Netherlands and Italy attracted more than 300,000 spectators. This season, Brazil has also seen strong growth, with an increase in attendance at almost all races. »
On TV, the numbers are also green – and even glowing green!
“The average audience for the race weekends through Singapore was 65 million viewers on leading television channels, with an additional approximately 20 million viewers on digital channels, including YouTube and F1 TV. The audience for digital channels continued to increase year after year. »
A historic record was broken for the last race at Silverstone, specifies Stefano Domenicali.
“Looking at a few races in particular, the British Grand Prix was the most watched European race of all time in the UK and attracted record numbers of viewers in the US. »
“F1 TV subscriber growth remained strong, with a 10% year-on-year increase, particularly strong in the US market. »
On digital too, Liberty Media is continuing its efforts with once again paying off results, in particular thanks to the Beyond The Grid podcasts which regularly offer quality content.
“We continue to innovate on digital platforms, providing creative ways for fans to experience the world of F1 around the world. »
“For example, this season we introduced video episodes for our F1 Beyond the Grid podcast and listening time has increased by over 30% since introducing this format. Social media followers increased 38% year-on-year to 94 million, driven in part by the launch of new platforms such as Threads and WhatsApp. Our partnership with WhatsApp allows for a closer direct relationship with fans through the messaging platform. »
Sprint races make a substantial difference in terms of viewership
Let's end with a notable lesson, which particularly attracts the attention of Stefano Domenicali: who says sprint format, says more audiences.
We therefore understand Liberty Media's desire to multiply such a format in the future!
“Sprint races also attract a growing audience. Friday attendance at sprint weekends at circuits is up around 30% compared to non-sprint weekends. The television audience for sprint weekends is also, on average, 10% higher than for non-sprint weekends. »
