Monaco GP breaks U.S. viewership records as “F1” movie hype intensifies

While the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix arguably failed in its attempt at an exciting two-stop race, the viewing figures for ABC and ESPN tell a very different story. 

The race in the Principality attracted the largest live United States audience in its history with a total viewership of 2.3 million on Sunday between 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. ET. That’s a 15% increase compared to last year, which saw viewership of 2 million. Not only that, but 917,000 of these viewers were in the valuable 18–49 age demographic, proving that Liberty Media’s marketing efforts are succeeding over the pond. 

Seeing a peak in viewership to 2.6 million between 10:30 and 10:45 a.m. ET, only the Miami races have beaten this performance, with the inaugural race attracting 2.6 million viewers and the following year boasting an astounding 3.1 million viewers.

On average, F1 telecasts across ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2 are averaging 1.3 million viewers per race – an 18% increase compared to 2023 and 2024, which saw an average of 1.1 million viewers per race. 

This performance reflects a substantial and ongoing push from Formula 1 and Liberty Media in the U.S. From Drive to Survive to new brand partnerships with the likes of LEGO and Disney, the sport is ensuring its continued growth through strong partnerships and trend-based promotion. 

The unparalleled success of Netflix’s Drive to Survive can be largely thanked for these impressive numbers, as well as the upcoming F1 movie which is seeing substantial coverage, especially over the Monaco Grand Prix weekend where drivers were treated to a private screening. 

In fact, the drivers’ reactions to the movie became one of Motorsport.com’s most read pieces over the last week, proving F1 fans’ intense interest in the subject. The movie’s director Joseph Kosinski credits Drive to Survive for his interest, resulting in the movie.

“Like a lot of people during Covid, I found this great television show called Drive to Survive,” he said via The National. “I found F1 to be an incredibly unique sport in that your team-mate is also your, in many ways, greatest competition. That makes for a great drama.

“That’s where it started. Luckily for me, I had a contact in Formula One I could reach out to.”

With the movie inundated with success even before its release, with it expanding to more IMAX theatres due to its popularity, it comes as no surprise that this year, F1 is seeing another boost in popularity.