According to ESPN, Formula 1’s season opener in Bahrain drew a high audience of 1.5 million US viewers, making it the most watched F1 race on cable since 1995.
The opening round of the 2022 Formula One season at Sakhir drew an average of 1.3 million views in the United States, although the dramatic race’s final stages drew an additional 200,000 people.
According to ESPN, the numbers were much higher than the 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix, which drew an average of 927,000 viewers.
According to the Disney-owned network, the Bahrain Grand Prix which was won by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc’s race on Sunday garnered more cable viewers than any other round of the Formula 1 championship since the 1995 Brazilian Grand Prix, which averaged 1.75 million viewers.
The success of Netflix’s ‘Drive to Survive’ series, which premiered in 2019 and is now in its fourth season, has improved Formula 1’s reputation and appeal in the United States.
As a result of Formula One’s growing popularity in the United States, commercial rights holder Liberty Media has decided to add a second event to the schedule, with Miami Grand Prix joining Austin this year.
However, F1’s presence in the United States is set to grow, with Liberty Sports said to be close to finalizing a deal with Las Vegas, which may join the sport’s agenda as early as 2023.
