F1 | Formula 1's television audience has risen by four percent: 108.7m viewers tune in for the season finale
Formula 1 has revealed it's viewing figures for the 2021 season, with over 1bn people turning to watch a race this year. The sport has also reported a 40% increase in followers regarding social media platforms with 2.69m spectators attending a Grand Prix this season.
Formula 1 has announced an increase of four per cent in the sport’s television viewing figures compared to 2020, with 108.7m viewers tuning for the season finale held in Abu Dhabi.
The sport, which had a cumulative tv audience of over 1.5bn, also attracted good viewing figures for the curtain-raising Bahrain Grand Prix (84.5m) and the Sao Paulo Grand Prix (82.1m). The Netherlands saw an 81% in its television audience from 2020 as Max Verstappen battled Lewis Hamilton for the World championship.
America also increased its television audience by 58% as it also hosted the sport’s biggest crowd of the season, with 400,000 spectators entering the Circuit of the Americas during the United States Grand Prix weekend.
Mexico saw 371,000 spectators stream through the gates at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit for the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend, with Silverstone welcoming 356,000 fans for what was Formula 1’s first capacity crowd in over a year.
Despite hosting some races behind closed doors or with a limited amount of fans, 2.69 million fans attended a Grand Prix last year, with 11 of the sport’s 22 races attracting over 100,000 spectators.
The sport’s social media platforms grew massively in 2021, with a 40% increase in followers for the series’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat accounts.
Formula 1’s CEO Stefano Domenicali believes that the increase in the sport’s television viewing figures and social media following is a sign that the series is gaining momentum and interest.
“The 2021 season was something very special. We had a championship battle that went to the last race with huge excitement throughout the whole championship. We began to welcome back our fans who are the heart and soul of our sport, and although we were limited in our capacities due to COVID, it was fantastic to see 2.6 million fans in the grandstands around the world.”
“We have also seen some very strong figures across broadcast and our digital platforms, showing once again the momentum, excitement and interest that is all around Formula 1. We are looking forward to our record-breaking 23 race season this year, with new cars, new regulations, and a new challenge for all the teams and drivers. I know all of our fans can’t wait to get the season started.”
