ESPN sets viewership record in final F1 season

In its final season airing Formula One, ESPN set a viewership record in the United States.

The network announced on Wednesday that it averaged 1.3 million viewers per race during the 2025 Formula One season, the largest season-long average in U.S. TV history. Viewership increased by 18% over the 2024 and 2023 averages, both of which clocked in at 1.1 million viewers per race. 2025 slightly edged out 2022 for most-watched season in history, with F1 on ESPN averaging 1.2 million viewers three years ago.

Beyond the season-long average, ESPN posted some impressive superlatives for the glitzy open-wheel racing series. Of the 24-event schedule, 16 set viewership records on ESPN this year. Further, 21 races posted year-over-year viewership increases.

No doubt, a neck-and-neck battle between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen for the Drivers’ Championship, which came down to the final race in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, helped lift F1 to new heights stateside. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix averaged a record-setting 1.5 million viewers on Sunday morning.

As with all viewership figures this year, it is difficult to compare to historical benchmarks. In February, Nielsen expanded its out-of-home viewing measurements to account for the whole country (up from about two-thirds prior). In September, the audience measurement company transitioned to its Big Data + Panel methodology. Both moves have generally served to increase live sports viewership versus prior years.

However, Formula One’s long-term trend has been undeniable. When ESPN began airing the circuit in 2018, races averaged just 554,000 viewers. In just eight years, the audience for F1 has grown by 135%.

Next season, the global motorsport series will shift to Apple TV in the United States. Earlier this year, Apple signed a five-year, $750 million deal to be the exclusive home of Formula One beginning in 2026. The deal will earn F1 approximately $60 million per year more than ESPN was paying under the current agreement.