Formula 1 Audiences on ESPN Keep Growing

It was brilliant for ESPN to take the commercial-free Sky Sports feed for all F1 races. It is superior to what NBCSN delivered. You missed half the races with all their commercials

Viewership for Formula 1 World Championship races on ESPN networks continues to grow in the championship’s second year back on ESPN.

Sunday’s Johnnie Walker Belgian Grand Prix attracted an average audience of 660,000 viewers on ESPN2, an increase of 37 percent over the race on ESPN2 last year (482,000) and up 29 percent over the viewership of the race on NBCSN in 2017 (448,000). The viewership for Sunday’s race was the second-highest on record for the event, exceeded only by ESPN’s audience of 690,000 in 1995.

The Belgian Grand Prix audience peaked at 770,725 as Charles Leclerc won his first F1 race.

Through 13 races this season, Formula 1 is averaging 667,000 viewers on ESPN networks, an increase of 20 percent over the average of 554,000 for 13 races last year on ESPN networks and up 22 percent from the average of 549,000 on NBC networks in 2017.

All but three of the 13 races this season have seen year-over-year viewership increases on ESPN networks.

The Formula 1 season continues this weekend with the Heineken Italian Grand Prix. The race airs at 9:05 a.m. ET on ESPN2 on Sunday, Sept. 8