Formula E global cumulative TV audience increases 14% to 561m in 2024/25 season

Formula E has said its global cumulative TV audience grew 14 per cent year-over-year (YoY) to 561 million after the conclusion of the 2024/25 season.

Confirmed:

• Formula E’s global fanbase reached 422 million by the end of the season, a 13 per cent increase on last year
• Average global cumulative audience for races was 33 million, up increase of 16 per cent
• Total video views increased 47 per cent YoY and social media impressions rose 14 per cent to 1.39 billion
• TikTok grows 37 per cent to become second most-followed platform
• Series now categorises 58 per cent of its fanbase as ‘highly engaged’, representing nine per cent growth

Context:

Formula E’s data need to be taken with a pinch of salt. The all-electric series’ previous claims around cumulative audience for the Mexico City E-Prix were misleading, extrapolating a large number from a very small sample size. The championship still claims the TV audience on CBS reached 10.5 million viewers, despite using an entirely different viewership metric from Formula One and Nascar.

In fact, the race in Mexico City averaged 2.8 million viewers, although this was largely aided by directly following a National Football League (NFL) game between the Buffalo Bills and the Denver Broncos, which averaged 31.1 million viewers. Even so, that’s a strong viewership figure.

Like last year, these new figures have been gathered from an independent survey of 33,000 adults across 16 markets in two waves by Potentia Insight. Exceeding a global cumulative audience of 500 million is an impressive achievement for a championship barely ten years old, but the use of too many vague statistics risks detracting from it.

For example, it is unclear what a fan needs to do to be classed as ‘highly engaged’, with the series also claiming to boast ‘one of the most dedicated fanbases in motorsport’.

The US, China, Germany and the UK now account for nearly 37 per cent (or 158 million) of the total fanbase, reflecting particularly strong engagement.

Comment:

“The Season 11 results are a powerful validation of Formula E’s strategy: delivering world-class, unpredictable racing in the heart of iconic cities. To achieve a 14 per cent increase in our global TV audience to 561 million and grow our already highly engaged fanbase to over 422 million worldwide is an outstanding feat,” said Jeff Dodds, chief executive of Formula E.

“We are constantly pushing the boundaries of what electric motorsport can be. Our commitment to innovation and thrilling competition is clearly resonating with a rapidly expanding global audience.

“The introduction of the Gen3 Evo car, the fastest accelerating FIA single-seater, is a testament to that commitment. We are already looking forward to an even more exciting Season 12 – our biggest calendar yet – beginning in just a few months, as we continue to attract new fans, partners and manufacturers to the sport.”

Coming next:

The upcoming Formula E season, which is the last before the introduction of the new Gen4 cars, will get underway in São Paulo, Brazil, on 6th December.

Go deeper:

• Formula E 2025 season review: Social media wins, viewership spin, and chasing F1
• Idris Elba, MrBeast, and untapped potential: How Cupra Kiro plan to transcend Formula E