Formula 1 is one of the most viewed motorsports on TV around the world. Although it struggled to become a mainstream sport in America, within the last three years it has experienced exponential growth in viewership and gained a large following in the United States. The 2021 championship fight came down to the last race of the season on December 12 in Abu Dhabi, with championship contenders Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton tied in the point standings. What resulted was the closest title race in history as Verstappen passed Hamilton on a controversial final lap to win the championship.

This nail-biting finish helped Formula 1 racing continue to gain traction in this country, but what does the future look like for the sport here in the States?

Formula 1 races feature 20 drivers on 10 teams, with each team sponsoring two drivers. Team sponsorships can come from juggernauts like Mercedes, Red Bull, and Mclaren which headline the races, while smaller teams like Williams, Alfa Romeo, and Haas, a team based in North Carolina, keep the competition well rounded. The approximately 305 km races last around 2 hours as the laps for each race are adjusted based on how long the respective track is. 

The 2021 F1 season featured 22 races all around the world, with races held in Europe, the Middle East, and many more. Formula 1’s lack of traction in the United States can be attributed to this year’s calendar only containing one race in the United States at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.  Other regions like Italy or the Middle East host around 3-5 races per year. The 2022 season addresses that problem in the United States as a new course will be added that races the streets of Miami, Florida. This race was added after the booming success of the race in Texas, amassing a total of over 400,000 attendees over the race weekend.

Another major factor in the recent popularity of Formula 1 in America is the Netflix TV series: “Drive to Survive”, highlighting the intensity and drama of the sport by presenting it in the style of a reality TV show. The series follows the drivers and their teams throughout the 2018, 2019, and 2020 seasons, and the audience topped 50 million viewers over the three seasons. Before the show was released in 2018, F1 viewership in the United States peaked at around 547,000, but has risen to near 928,000 in 2021 since the release of the show. So far, the 2021 season has featured controversy between big-name teams and drivers, thrilling races, and a close fight for the championship, providing gripping content for the 2021 series of Drive to Survive. 

If American sports fans take a look at Formula 1, they would likely see a lot of similarities to popular American sports. The driver that accumulates the most points from wins, podiums, and top 10 finishes wins the championship, similar to the format that NASCAR, the dominant American auto racing competition, crowns their champion. Additionally, the offseason mirrors that of any major sporting league as drivers train for the season and the teams design new engine and mechanical upgrades to make their cars better. 

Formula 1 has a chance to become the next sensation in America if the sport continues the steps to grow its popularity in the United States. With NASCAR viewership around 3 million viewers and stagnant growth, Formula 1 could be able to surpass NASCAR within the next 10 years. With the new relevancy to America with races, teams, and broadcasting on major networks can carry Formula 1 to prominence in the United States.