1.5B people tuned in for F1’s epic 2021 season
MORE than 1.5 billion Formula One viewers from around the globe tuned in to watch the epic title battle between seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen during the 2021 season, the sport’s organizers confirmed yesterday.
The cumulative TV audience for the 22-race season reached a staggering 1.55 billion, up 4% over 2020.
Unsurprisingly, the controversial season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with Verstappen and Hamilton level on points going into the final race, drew the highest viewership of the season with 108.7 million viewers tuning in, 29% higher than the viewership recorded by the Yas Marina finale in 2020.
Verstappen won the drivers’ title after an altered safety car restart procedure allowed him to pass race-leader Hamilton on the final lap seven corners from the finish.
Mercedes clinched an unprecedented eighth straight constructors’ title.
With Verstappen fighting for his first title, the Netherlands registered the highest growth in cumulative viewership at 81% over 2020.
The U.S., where the sport has seen its popularity surge thanks in large part to Netflix show “Drive to Survive” and which is set to host two races in 2022, also saw strong growth, with viewership going up 58% year-over-year.
The sport saw 2.69 million spectators attend races at the track after COVID-19 imposed restrictions in 2020.
The U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, Texas was the best-attended race of the season with 400,000 fans turning up over the weekend followed by the Mexican Grand Prix (371,000 fans) and Hamilton’s home British Grand Prix at Silverstone (356,000 fans).