Credits: IMAGO / Nordphoto
Lando Norris scripted history with his maiden Grand Prix win in Miami recently. That, however, is not the only talking point coming out of the iconic American fixture. The viewership numbers achieved during the race have broken all records F1 registered in the American Grands Prix. It bettered the record that the inaugural Miami GP had achieved in 2022.
As per ESPN, ABC saw an average viewership of 3.1 million while the main race was on. The numbers registered on Sunday beat the previous American F1 race record of the 2022 Miami GP by 500,000 when the viewership reached 2.6 million.
With 1.3 million average viewership of the audience belonging to the 18-49 age group, the numbers peaked at 3.6 million. Meanwhile, in 2023, the Floridian race attracted only 2.1 million viewers on average.
There were multiple factors that may have helped in an uptick in audience. Firstly, the Grand Prix weekend was the one with the addition of the Sprint race and qualifying.
Secondly, the build-up to the main race saw high uncertainty in performance, as varying track temperatures made it difficult for the teams and drivers to make correct tire choices. Thirdly, as the race progressed, reigning champion Max Verstappen fell behind McLaren’s Lando Norris, which made things exciting.
Norris was winless until Sunday. With him leading the rest of the pack, more viewers may have tuned in to witness his first victory.
Norris consistently pulled ahead of Verstappen, lap-on-lap. However, the threat of the Dutchman catching up or Norris faltering in the front always remained. This factor may have helped keep the viewers hooked till the chequered flag.
Lando Norris’ rise a welcome news for Formula 1
As much as Max Verstappen’s immaculate performances are a joy to watch, the death of competition proved counterproductive. With the Dutchman facing next to no resistance in the title race, F1 began to see a dip in viewership numbers.
Many believed the run would go on until 2026 when the new set of regulations came into play. However, with Ferrari and McLaren drivers registering wins in just six races until now in the season, the story might change.
Carlos Sainz won the Australian GP after Verstappen suffered a DNF, owing to his brakes catching fire. However, Lando Norris’ win was even more exciting as he registered a victory despite the reigning champion completing the race.
As the Briton has proven that the Red Bull driver can be beaten in a race, F1 can perhaps capitalize on the rising viewership. Formula One Management (FOM) has already banked on the Drive To Survive revolution in the US. Now Norris’ rise can help those numbers soar further and prove FOM’s investment worth its weight in gold.
