As F1 celebrates its 75th anniversary during this weekend’s British Grand Prix, European fans still form the championship’s traditional core, but a new survey has found that American enthusiasm for the series is surging.
In fact, 26% of respondents to the 2025 Global F1 Fan Survey came from the Americas, while the United States was the most represented country in the entire study. That’s a significant milestone for a series that once struggled to gain traction across the Atlantic, as it struggled to crack the American market.
This rise in fandom is a welcome validation for Liberty Media, which acquired F1 in 2017. At the time, then-chairman and CEO Chase Carey made it his ambition to reach into the sport’s greatest untapped opportunities, of which the US was an obvious example.
Eight years later, the data speaks for itself. F1 fandom in the US is growing. We see the proof trackside in Austin, Miami, and Las Vegas, where US grand prix events now draw enormous crowds and global attention. And all three target very different audiences over the course of the season.
The races have caught the imagination, with 73% of American respondents in the survey saying they plan to attend a US-based race in the future. Even more impressively, 41% say they’ve already been to a grand prix.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images
Beyond the track, the way Americans consume the series is also evolving. The survey reveals that 61% of US fans are ‘always on,’ regularly engaging with content across digital platforms, from social media highlights to live streaming and videos. Traditional fans still favour broadcast and in-depth editorial, but American viewers are driving a new era of multi-platform and second-screen fandom.
Crucially, this engagement isn’t confined to race weekends either. US fans are now tuning in year-round, following the championship from March through December as it travels the globe and are staying connected between races through digital storytelling, detailed analysis, and news updates.
One of the biggest draws is the drivers themselves. Streaming shows like Drive to Survive gave a glimpse of the personalities behind the helmets and helped them become household names. But those off-track narratives have now engaged and resulted in new pockets of fandom opening up, while also transforming the drivers into global icons – not just athletes but characters with charisma, emotional, and relatable appeal.
In summary, the 2025 Global F1 Fan Survey confirms what many already sensed was happening: America is no longer just experimenting with Formula 1, it’s fully embracing it.
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