It’s got to be Neflix, right?
I’m trying to wrap my mind around Formula 1’s apparent spike in popularity in the United State. It certainly can’t be Lewis Hamilton’s constant domination in the world’s most popular form of auto racing.
But the numbers speak for themselves.
According to ESPN PR, F1’s season-opener at Bahrain was the highest-rated race in the history of ESPN2, dating back to the year 1995.
Nearly 1 million fans tuned in, which marked a viewership larger than every F1 race in the entire 2020 season.
One more stat: The 2021 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix saw a 72 percent audience increase compared to the same event in 2020, which took place in November.
We will find out in a few weeks if F1’s opening race of the season was simply an anomaly or if the sport’s popularity really is growing here in the states.
F1 will get back at it on Sunday, April 18 in Italy.