The ABC broadcast of the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix on Sunday, May 5th, brought in the largest TV audience ever recorded for F1 racing in the US. An average of 3.1 million viewers tuned in as Lando Norris beat out reigning World Champion Max Verstappen, claiming his first victory in the F1 circuit.
The F1 race-only viewership from 3:55 – 5:30 p.m. ET broke the previous record of 2.6 million viewers set during the first Miami Grand Prix in 2022. This year’s race saw a 48 percent increase in viewers compared to last year, when it drew in 2.1 million viewers. The Miami Grand Prix now holds the top three spots for highest live U.S. television audiences in Formula 1 history.
The race attracted a peak viewership of 3.6 million, with an average audience of 1.3 million in the coveted demographic of Persons aged 18-49. Another notable event during the weekend was the F1 Sprint race on Saturday, which garnered an average of 946,000 viewers on ESPN – the highest for a Sprint race since its introduction in 2021. The previous record was set at 883,000 for Azerbaijan in 2023. Additionally, Saturday’s F1 qualifying session saw an average of 625,000 viewers on ESPN.
