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F1
Domenicali: F1 Still Only ‘At the Start’ of US Journey
TL;DR
Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali states that the sport is still in the early stages of its growth in the U.S., despite recent increases in popularity and viewership.
Key points
- F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali speaks on US growth
- Record TV audiences reported in the 2020s
- Apple is the new broadcaster for F1 in the US
- Three grand prix events in the US as of 2023
Mentioned in this story
Formula 1Stefano DomenicaliApple
CEO Says F1 Only ‘At the Start’ of US JourneySOPA Images - Getty Images
Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says the championship is still only “at the beginning of our journey” in America, despite recent sustained growth.
Formula 1’s popularity in the nation has grown in the 2020s, with record TV audiences reported by now-departed broadcaster ESPN, while new broadcaster Apple has been encouraged by its 2026 viewership—though has yet to publicly release figures. Apple is not part of Nielsen’s ratings and is understood to still be verifying figures through external parties.
Formula 1 had one grand prix in America until 2022, the year in which Miami joined the fray, and a season later Las Vegas’ arrival brought its presence to three grands prix.
Last weekend’s Miami Grand Prix was again a sell-out, and Domenicali says Formula 1 still has substantial headroom to grow in America.
“If you think back, Formula 1 has been in the US, but randomly, in terms of presence,” Domenicali said during the Miami Grand Prix weekend.
Stefano Domenicali.Dom Gibbons - Formula 1 - Getty Images
“We were in Detroit, Indianapolis, and Austin, like just eight years ago we had around 60,000 people [in attendance], now we have three races, where the average attendance is huge, the evolution of the love of Formula 1 in this country has been phenomenal.
“Now I think three races, there is a lot of request to be more in the US, this is something we need to manage of course, with care, but you know we’re just at the beginning of our journey in the US.”
Domenicali is nevertheless wary that Formula 1 still lags behind America’s ‘big four’ sports and is conscious that it will take time to fully embed itself within the sporting landscape and culture.
Q&A
What did Stefano Domenicali say about F1's growth in the US?
Stefano Domenicali mentioned that Formula 1 is only 'at the beginning' of its journey in the United States.
How many F1 grand prix events are held in the US as of 2023?
As of 2023, there are three Formula 1 grand prix events held in the United States: one in Miami, one in Las Vegas, and the original event.
What impact has Apple had on F1's viewership in the US?
Apple has taken over broadcasting F1 in the US and is reportedly encouraged by its 2026 viewership, although it has not yet released specific figures.
