Race Weekend Breaks Incredible Record After Lando Norris’s Maiden Victory

Lando Norris clinched his first Formula 1 victory at the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, breaking Max Verstappen’s long-standing dominance at U.S. races. The event also set a new U.S. viewership record, further underscoring the soaring American interest in Formula 1.

Norris, driving for McLaren, secured his inaugural F1 win in spectacular fashion, disrupting Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen’s streak of consecutive victories on American soil, which began back in 2019.

The McLaren driver’s landmark victory wasn’t the only headline from the weekend. According to the latest Nielsen ratings, as reported by ESPN, an average of 3.1 million viewers tuned in to watch the race, marking it as the most-watched Formula 1 event in U.S. television history.

This historic viewership milestone highlights the growing traction Formula 1 is gaining in the U.S., a trend significantly buoyed by the cultural impact of Netflix’s “Drive to Survive.” The series has been paramount in transforming Formula 1 from a niche sport into mainstream North American entertainment, enriching the U.S. fanbase’s engagement and understanding of the sport.

The addition of venues like the Miami Grand Prix in 2022 and the Las Vegas Grand Prix in 2023 has been a huge turning point for growing the U.S. market. These venues have joined the longstanding United States Grand Prix in Austin, creating a robust American presence on the F1 calendar.

The 2024 Miami Grand Prix, in particular, stood out not only because of the viewership records and Norris’s victory but also due to its hosting of the season’s second Sprint Race. Sprint Races, shorter in duration but intense in action, often serve to heighten fan excitement and interest.

Picking up on the increased popularity of the Grand Prix weekend, RB driver Daniel Ricciardo commented ahead of the Miami GP, as quoted by Autosport:

“It feels like, and I’m not trying to say it’s the Super Bowl, but Super Bowl week.

“It’s like a whole week of things. I feel our weeks have built out now, not to the extent of a Super Bowl week but it’s getting there with events and people are interested.

“It’s from a Wednesday onwards, and it’s not just the Sunday that they’re excited for the race. We had a really good crowd, a lot of young people I feel, and a lot of new audience coming in. So, it’s good to grow the sport for sure.”

As Formula 1 continues to expand its footprint in the United States, the increasing American fan interest could potentially spearhead more strategic changes in how the sport is presented and marketed globally. With U.S. tracks now consistently drawing record crowds and viewers, the potential for the sport’s future in America looks promising.