No, Formula 1 is not losing popularity; rather, it's experiencing significant global growth, becoming the world's most popular annual sporting series with a rapidly expanding, younger, and more diverse fanbase, record race attendance, and increased digital engagement, despite some fan concerns about predictability.
Our global fanbase continues to grow and is becoming younger and more diverse: Formula 1 has a global fanbase of 827 million and is the world's most popular annual sporting series, with a year-on-year increase of 12% and a 63% increase versus 2018.
F1: The Movie (2025) Brad Pitt's F1 has minted considerable money at the box office, grossing $301 million worldwide. Brad Pitt has raced his way to the biggest box office haul of his career with Joseph Kosinski's F1. The racing drama has collected $300 million worldwide, as of July 7.
Spectaorship for F1 racing has been declining in recent years. This may be due to the high price of entry, or the lack of new technical advancements, or the spread-out characteristics of the race course.
The Brad Pitt-led F1 movie (also known as Apex or F1: The Movie) released in mid-2025 was a massive financial and critical hit, becoming Apple Original Films' biggest success, exceeding $600 million globally, and marking Brad Pitt's highest-grossing film ever, despite initial high production/marketing costs. It outperformed expectations, earned strong audience scores (97% on Rotten Tomatoes), and was considered a blockbuster surprise and a major win for Apple's foray into theatrical distribution.
But here's the paradox: despite record valuations and revenue hitting $3.8 billion collectively in 2024, most F1 teams lose money year after year. Williams Racing has posted losses for five consecutive years, totaling £211 million ($285.4 million) since 2020.
In Formula 1, the 75% rule dictates that if a race leader completes 75% or more of the scheduled race distance, full points are awarded; if less than that, points are reduced on a tiered scale (50-75%, 25-50%, or under 25%), ensuring points are scaled to the race's length when shortened by red flags or weather, rather than stopping points altogether.
Is the Number 69 Banned in F1? Number 69 is not officially banned by the FIA, but no driver has chosen it since the system was introduced in 2014.
A growing global fanbase
Interest in F1 continues to grow in heritage markets such as the UK (+24%), Italy (12%) and Brazil (+9%), and in growth markets including the US and China where interest has surged by 11% and 39% respectively.
The 90% rule in Formula 1 dictates that to be classified as a finisher (and be eligible for points), a driver must complete at least 90% of the race distance covered by the winner; if the winner finishes 70 laps, you need to complete 63 laps (70 x 0.9) to be ranked, even if you finish further down the order, otherwise you're marked as a DNF (Did Not Finish). This driver-specific rule ensures drivers who retire early but still complete a significant portion of the race are recognized and placed, as seen in chaotic races where many cars don't see the flag.
Surprising Fact. “F1” already made back some of its money in a way familiar to fans of the racing fans—brand sponsorships. “F1” producers sold naming rights to real brands for the fictional APXGP racing team, putting brands like Mercedes and Geico on Brad Pitt's car and racing suit.
The number 17 was retired from Formula One in his honour by the FIA, who mandated the halo cockpit protection device in all open-wheel championships from 2018 onwards. As of the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Bianchi remains the most recent fatality in the Formula One World Championship.
Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton both escaped punishment for their dramatic collision in the Hungarian Grand Prix, with race stewards ruling "no driver was predominantly to blame" for the clash.
Brad Pitt's F1 has minted considerable money at the box office, grossing $301 million worldwide. Brad Pitt has raced his way to the biggest box office haul of his career with Joseph Kosinski's F1.
🔹Shifting Demographics – nearly half of today's F1 fans are under 35, and female fandom has grown from 37% in 2018 to 42% in 2025. 🔹Lifestyle & Brand Power – From McDonald's's to LVMH, global brands see F1 not just as sport sponsorship, but as a lifestyle and cultural investment.
Formula 1 fandom in the U.S. has been growing rapidly over the past few years. The 2025 Global F1 Fan Survey, performed by the organization itself, polled Formula 1 fans in 186 countries. Of all of these nations, the U.S. "accounts for the largest share of respondents of any individual country," said the survey.
The fact that only a minority of Formula One fans will ever have the opportunity to experience the sight of drivers racing at top speeds could also factor into why Formula One is not among the most popular sports.
Even if you discount the most viewed events, the average viewership for Formula 1 is still higher per event. The Super Bowl is usually the biggest event in the United States, and one of the biggest sporting events in the world. The 2021 Super Bowl had a total viewership of 96 million people.
Formula 1 reports record audience growth in 2025. According to the championship, the global Formula 1 audience in 2025 reached 827 million viewers, an increase of 12% compared to the previous year and 63% compared to 2018, when Formula 1 was acquired by Liberty Media.
F1 drivers are allowed to choose a number between 2 and 99, which remain theirs for the duration of their career in the sport.
It may disrupt how they regulate their emotions in Formula One's extreme environment. It could also affect how they communicate efficiently with their teams, and how they shape their identities as racing drivers – functions that swearing, arguably, serves in live racing communication.
On 1 May 1994, Brazilian Formula One driver Ayrton Senna was killed after his car crashed into a concrete barrier while he was leading the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at the Imola Circuit in Italy. Senna's death was the capstone to one of the darkest weekends in Formula One history.
While numbers like 5 and 14 symbolize the greatness of champions like Vettel and Alonso, the number 17 was retired to honor Jules Bianchi, who tragically passed away after a 2014 accident. This gesture respects his legacy and ensures his memory endures.
The FIA has a two-hour rule in place, which states that a race cannot exceed two hours from the start signal to when the leader crosses the finish line. This rule is in place to ensure that races don't run excessively long due to unforeseen delays. However, there are exceptions to this rule.
How do F1 drivers use the bathroom during a race? F1 drivers drink a lot to stay hydrated because of all the sweating during a race. If an F1 driver has to go to the bathroom during a race, he simply has to pee in his suit.