Already a wildly popular competition around the world, Formula 1 has experienced a particularly spectacular 2025 season – and it’s not even far past the halfway mark yet!
In the half-year summary published by Formula 1, an uptick of 12.2 per cent is noted for the total number of fans (now at 827 million), a 30 per cent viewership increase on YouTube, and an uptick of 1.3 million people in attendance from the first 14 races compared to its first year in control (2018) figures.
It’s been a rampant year for the sport that relies on having avid fan bases all over the world, and yet, even with these figures, there are more ways to grow. Already, Formula 1 is quite expertly exploiting the main avenues to achieve this, suggesting that more major moves could be on the horizon.
Bringing race day to even more devout fans
One of the biggest breakthroughs for Formula 1 over the last few years has been breaking America. The biggest sports market in the world was long devoid of F1 action, and previous ventures into the country had failed to stick. Now, by leaning into the pageantry and hype required to build a major event in the US, the F1 arrives often.
Prior to 2012 there was only one, sometimes sporadic, United States grand prix date on the calendar but since then it has been annual occurrence at the purpose-built Circuit of the Americas near Austin, Texas.
Since 2022, Miami has also joined on an annual basis with Las Vegas adding a third race in the USA in 2023, all of which have been sold out events. This shows that the sport is well received in the US and the appetite for Formula 1 is growing.
Always looking for great places to race and bring the competition to fans around the world, perhaps unique viewership figures will help to guide the next landing spots. If this were the case, a second race in China could be considered, as should grand prix returns to both South Africa and maybe Turkey.
Making the Most of Entertainment Media
Many point to entertainment media as being a catalyst for the modern surge in Formula 1 fandom. This all began with Netflix’s fly-on-the-wall documentary series Drive to Survive. It enabled the storied spot to meet new audiences, be dramatised in an accessible way, and immerse viewers in the behind-the-scenes characters.
Drive to Survive remains a staple of the annual Formula 1 and Netflix slate, and Season 6 even won an Emmy in 2025. However, Drive to Survive in 2025 wasn’t the biggest F1 media event around. That crown goes to “F1: The Movie”, starring Brad Pitt, Javier Bardem, and Damson Idris; it was very much an advert for the sport and so far has grossed over $650m.
So, where could the Formula 1 brand venture off to next? The next best landing spot might just be in the vast and ever-expanding world of online bingo. The platform now covers every form of online gambling game going. Among these are the hit branded slots, such as The Walking Dead Cash Collect, The Ones Who Live Game, and even Ted.
Popular branded online games work both as a way to reach fan bases in new ways and as a perpetual advertisement for the brand. Those that get a large following remain on the popular and trending pages, inviting more players to try them out, thus reaching more potential fans.
As Formula 1 continues to grow at an incredible pace, behind the scenes, the competition will be exploring more ways to keep the momentum going. New locations and new entertainment outings look to be the way forward – and a way that F1 is already well seasoned in fully exploiting.
