The 2024 Formula 1 season has long passed the finish line, and the green flag has already dropped on the 2025 season. However, as the racing circuit looks toward a new media rights deal, looking back at last year’s viewership data will be incredibly important. As part of its current broadcast agreement in the United States, races appeared on ABC and ESPN channels over the course of the year, but data shows that ratings fell in the U.S. in 2024. However, F1 races continued to improve upon their impressive numbers around the globe. That information could point to an ideal broadcast partner for Formula 1 as it looks past 2025 into the future.

Key Details:

• Formula 1 races averaged 1.13 million viewers each in 2024.
• The racing league added more than 90 million new fans around the globe.
• Netflix could be a perfect partner for F1 with its global presence.

In the United States, F1 ratings took a step back in 2024. On average, races garnered 1.13 million viewers apiece, down from the previous season’s 1.16 million, and 2022’s 1.19 million fans. However, the season did see individual F1 races set multiple viewership records; the Miami Grand Prix averaged 3.1 million viewers on ABC, which became the most-watched Formula 1 race in history in the U.S. Overall, 12 of the 24 races experienced year-over-year ratings increases last season. Of course, the international nature of the sport does make it difficult for fans to keep up with all races, since many air in the middle of the night depending on where you live.

The circuit’s fortunes improved in other global territories, however. Sports Pro Media cites Nielsen data which shows that the F1 fanbase grew by nearly 90 million fans over the course of 2024. In markets like Argentina, Canada, China, and Saudi Arabia, F1 saw a considerable increase in viewership.

Those numbers could help F1 in its search for a new television partner. The racing series is still airing on ESPN channels through the end of 2025, but that arrangement will end when the season is over, as ESPN is reportedly uninterested in renewing the deal.

The ratings data from 2024 suggest that Formula 1 would be ideal for a partner with a huge global presence. That would seem to point to Netflix as the best possible candidate, at least from F1’s perspective. Netflix now has more than 300 million subscribers worldwide and is an incredibly well-recognized global brand.

The question now becomes whether or not Netflix would be interested in acquiring F1 rights once they become available following the 2025 season. Netflix pursued F1 in 2022, but lost to ESPN due to the Disney-owned channel’s widespread reach.

Does Netflix still have interest in Formula 1? The streamer does still host the documentary series “Drive to Survive,” a demonstration of its continued desire to attract F1 fans to its platform. In terms of broadcast rights, reports indicate that Netflix already mulling another bid on the racing league. But the world’s largest streamer follows a different philosophy when it comes to live sports than other broadcaster; it only wants sports that it can make into true viewing events, and doesn’t traditionally show interest in season-long sports rights.

Will a 24-race season fit that bill for Netflix? The next few months will demonstrate the answer for certain, as the streamer will have the opportunity to show its interest with its checkbook. Recent ratings data shows that Netflix would be an ideal choice as a media partner for the racing league, but it remains to be seen how heartily Netflix agrees with that position.

Sign Up

netflix.com

Netflix

Netflix is a leading subscription-based video streaming service that offers on-demand access to an extensive library of over 3,000 movies, 2,000+ TV shows, and a growing collection of acclaimed Netflix originals. Renowned for producing groundbreaking content, Netflix has become a cultural powerhouse with hit originals like “Stranger Things,” “Wednesday,” “Squid Game,” “The Crown,” “Tiger King,” “Bridgerton,” “The Witcher,” and “Black Mirror.”

…

The platform constantly updates its catalog, introducing fresh content alongside timeless classics and international hits. Netflix’s commitment to storytelling has also earned critical acclaim, with award-winning exclusives such as “Roma,” “Marriage Story,” “The Power of the Dog,” “Mank,” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” In 2023, their animated film “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, further solidifying Netflix’s reputation for high-quality content.

Recently, Netflix has expanded beyond standard movies and TV titles with the addition of video podcasts, and is also exploring a digital store that would offer third-party streamers within the app.

Netflix offers three plans – stream on 2 devices in HD with the “Standard with Ads” ($8.99) plan, on 2 devices in HD with the “Standard” ($19.99) plan, and 4 devices in up to 4K on the “Premium” ($26.99) plan.

Sign Up

$8.99+ / month

netflix.com