- Brazilian GP has fifth-lowest TV viewership average in US since 2018
- F1 is averaging 1.3m viewers through 21 races and remains on track for record season audience
The São Paulo Grand Prix averaged 784,000 viewers on ESPN2, marking the second-lowest TV audience in the US for a Formula One race this season.
A direct comparison to last year’s Grand Prix isn’t available, as viewership was significantly impacted by severe weather that prompted the 2024 race’s start time to change. In the end, 531,000 viewers watched in 2024. The 2023 race averaged 909,000 viewers on ESPN2.
The race start time, an hour before most National Football League (NFL) games begin on Sunday, has long affected viewership, with the overlap continuing to be a challenge for the São Paulo Grand Prix in the US market.
The Brazilian Grand Prix, which has been known as the São Paulo Grand Prix since 2021, now holds the fifth-lowest average viewership in the US for any current Formula One race since 2018. The races with the three lowest audience averages during this period are those in Australia, Japan and China, which are scheduled at night for US audiences.
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Despite a lower return this year in the US, Formula One is averaging 1.3 million viewers through 21 races. At the same point last season, the series averaged 1.16 million viewers. This season, the sport is also seeing a 17 per cent year-over-year (YoY) increase in the 18 to 49 demographic, with an average of 492,000 viewers.
Formula One remains on track to set a record for season viewership in its final year on ESPN, before moving to its new broadcast partner Apple. The previous viewership record of 1.19 million was set in 2022.
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