F1’s Azerbaijan GP audience first to drop below 1m on ESPN since May

Formula One’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix was the first race to drop below one million viewers on ESPN in the US since the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in May.

Confirmed:

• 865,000 viewers watched Oscar Piastri take victory on the streets of Baku, down ten per cent on 2023
• Third most-watched Azerbaijan Grand Prix in the US ever

Context:

The fact that this represents a disappointing result for Formula One emphasises just how far viewership has come in the US. Six races have now recorded audiences below one million during the 2024 season, and five of those were in the first seven Grands Prix of the season.

Following early domination from Red Bull and Max Verstappen, which saw the Dutchman win seven of the first ten races, audiences have flocked back to the series thanks to a more competitive field. Indeed, five different drivers across three teams have now won in the span of seven races.

The series' slow start to the season means year-over-year (YoY) viewership is down by a marginal 0.6 per cent after 17 races, but it's a different story if you look at the audience figures from the Miami Grand Prix.

Thanks to its positioning on commercial television through ABC, the first US-based race of the season reached more than just hardcore Formula One fans – just look at the record 3.1 million viewers that tuned in for Lando Norris' first Grand Prix victory.

Crucially, that was also the first race of the campaign where it became clear that Red Bull and Verstappen could be challenged. Using Miami as the yardstick for the start of Formula One being competitive again, viewership has actually risen 10.3 per cent YoY.

An average of 1.36 million viewers watched Miami and the following 11 races this season, compared to 1.22 million in 2023.

Coming next:

Next up for Formula One is the Singapore Grand Prix, which averaged 1.18 million viewers in 2023. The race at Marina Bay Street Circuit takes place from 20th to 22nd September.

Go deeper:

• The SkyPad, Martin Brundle interviews, and remote production: Inside Sky Sports’ award-winning F1 coverage
• US viewership: Most-watched British Grand Prix ever