The Australian Grand Prix was watched by more than 1.1-million viewers on ESPN, setting a record for Formula 1's season-opening event, according to the network.
It beat the previous mark of 659,000 viewers in 2019, and was up 541,000 from last year's race broadcast on ESPN2. The 2025 race, which began at midnight on Sunday, also averaged 560,000 viewers in the coveted 18 to 49 year-old demographic.
The record viewership for the Australian GP comes amid reports that ESPN will not pursue the US broadcast rights to F1 once the network's media deal expires after this season. However, F1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali said at last month's Liberty Media earnings call that discussions continue despite ESPN's exclusive negotiating period having passed.
ESPN has aired F1 races since 2018 and is in the final year of a three-year extension that has the network paying about $90m (R1.63bn) per season for media rights.
NBC Sports and Netflix are potential replacements after they met with F1 last month, according to Front Office Sports.
NBC Sports aired F1 from 2012 to 2017, while Netflix has helped boost F1's popularity in the US with its Drive to Survive docuseries which recently released its seventh season.
The second race of the 2025 season is on Sunday, with the Chinese Grand Prix scheduled to begin at 2.55 on ESPN. The F1 season includes US stops in Miami (May 4), Austin, Texas (October 19) and Las Vegas (November 22).
Australian Grand Prix sets new viewership record for ESPN
Image: Mark Thompson/Getty Images
The Australian Grand Prix was watched by more than 1.1-million viewers on ESPN, setting a record for Formula 1's season-opening event, according to the network.
It beat the previous mark of 659,000 viewers in 2019, and was up 541,000 from last year's race broadcast on ESPN2. The 2025 race, which began at midnight on Sunday, also averaged 560,000 viewers in the coveted 18 to 49 year-old demographic.
The record viewership for the Australian GP comes amid reports that ESPN will not pursue the US broadcast rights to F1 once the network's media deal expires after this season. However, F1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali said at last month's Liberty Media earnings call that discussions continue despite ESPN's exclusive negotiating period having passed.
ESPN has aired F1 races since 2018 and is in the final year of a three-year extension that has the network paying about $90m (R1.63bn) per season for media rights.
NBC Sports and Netflix are potential replacements after they met with F1 last month, according to Front Office Sports.
NBC Sports aired F1 from 2012 to 2017, while Netflix has helped boost F1's popularity in the US with its Drive to Survive docuseries which recently released its seventh season.
The second race of the 2025 season is on Sunday, with the Chinese Grand Prix scheduled to begin at 2.55 on ESPN. The F1 season includes US stops in Miami (May 4), Austin, Texas (October 19) and Las Vegas (November 22).
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