Formula One bosses have been thrown into disarray after the sport's US viewership dropped significantly in the first half of the 2026 season. According to data analytics firm Samba, some races have seen audience numbers fall by half compared with last season's totals.
The Monaco Grand Prix recorded a 66 per cent decrease in viewers, while the Miami Grand Prix was down by 68 per cent. Overall, Samba found that eight of the nine races analysed from the 2026 season had seen declines in viewership. The only race that did not decline was the Japanese Grand Prix, which stayed the same.
Apple TV takes over from ESPN
The drop follows a major broadcasting change in the United States, where Apple TV became the primary broadcaster for Formula One, taking over from ESPN. The move has not proved successful so far, given the data suggests Apple TV is not pulling in as many viewers.
Interest had been high on the back of a gripping title race last year, which saw Lando Norris snatch Max Verstappen's crown for the first time since 2021. However, the off-season brought plenty of changes, on and off the track, including new engine regulations that were roundly criticised at the time and continue to be a topic of hot debate.
Free trial hypothesis
Samba's vice president of measurement science, Alyson Sprague, said in a statement to USA TODAY: “One hypothesis our team has for this finding is that F1 fans may have activated an Apple TV free trial to be able to access the F1 race. But that they didn’t find enough value in the trial to continue on as a paid customer.”
If this trend continues for the 2026 season and beyond, it could spell bad news for Formula One's leadership, given their attempts to break into the American market. Three races each year are held in the United States, with efforts having been made to establish Formula One as a mainstream sport in the country.
Growth ambitions in America
Speaking in 2024, Tom Garfinkel, the CEO of the Miami Dolphins and managing partner of the Miami Grand Prix, said: “Five or 10 years ago, I don’t know that your average sports fan in America could have named three drivers in Formula One. What’s most exciting about it to me is there are a lot of young people in the United States falling in love with the sport. That’s very positive for the future of the sport in America.”
He added: “Creating that newfound loyalty between our new fans while also continuing to embrace our legacy fans. Because I don’t want our legacy fans to get lost in this new narrative that we’re building around North America.”
