Media post: Is Formula 1 Still Popular?
Formula 1 has been the pinnacle of motorsport for over seven decades. But in an era where attention spans have become shorter and with more entertainment options available, the question doing the rounds is: is Formula 1 still popular and relevant in the modern era? In 2026, the answer isn’t just yes; it’s a resounding yes.
The 2025 Campaign Set the Benchmark
Before looking ahead, it’s a good idea to look at what went before. The 2025 campaign was, by almost all metrics, the most successful in the sport’s history. Formula 1’s global fanbase climbed to 827 million, which represents 12% year-on-year growth and an increase of 63% compared to 2018, making it one of the most popular annual sporting series around.
At the circuits on race weekend, the figures were equally as impressive. The 2025 season drew 6.7 million fans across 24 race weekends, the highest total in the championship’s 75-year history, 19 of 24 events sold out. On television, the cumulative global audience registered at 1.83 billion for the season, which is close to a 7% increase year-on-year and the largest total audience in five years.
Who’s Watching?
The demographic shift is arguably the standout story of F1 in the modern era. 43% of fans are now 35 and under, with 57% of all new fans in 2025 falling into that age bracket. Women now make up 42% of the total fanbase, a climb from 37% in 2018. These aren’t the numbers of a sport that is desperately clinging onto a legacy audience; they’re the numbers of a sport that continues to attract new fans.
The Betting Follows the Fans
Where large and engaged audiences go, commercial interest naturally follows. Formula 1 remains a popular choice at sports betting sites, with bettors placing wagers on everything from race winners to the driver they predict will win the championship title. The sport’s 24-race calendar ensures near-constant activity throughout the season, making it an attractive proposition for bettors who want to engage with the sport further.
What Changes in 2026?
The 2026 season has ushered in the biggest regulatory overhaul in F1 history. The cars are shorter, thinner, lighter and nimbler, with DRS replaced by Active Aero and a new Overtake Mode that gives more aggressive drivers a burst of extra energy within a second of the car ahead. Two manufacturers have joined the grid, with Audi and Cadillac the new faces.
The early races have not been without controversy, though. Viewing figures in some territories dropped. Critics have pointed to the 50/50 power unit split producing uncertainty. But regulatory resets always produce some turbulence. It took a full season in 2022 for everything to settle down following rule changes.
The Bigger Picture
Whatever the early-season noise, the structural foundations of Formula 1’s popularity have never been as strong. The sport has secured the vast majority of its calendar contracts well into the 2030s, struck a landmark deal making Apple TV its exclusive US broadcaster from 2026 onwards, and broke box office records with the F1 movie before it landed at number 1 on Apple TV. The global fanbase is younger, more diverse and more digitally engaged than at any point in the sport’s history.
The 2026 season may be continuing to find its feet due to the regulatory overhaul, but Formula 1’s place at the top table of global sport is not in question.
