Australian GP Tickets Sell Out in Hours as F1 Drive to Survive Claims Major Credit

The start to the 2022 season of Formula 1 has been nothing short of magnificent. Max Verstappen won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, but it’s Charles Leclerc, who is currently leading the driver’s standings. The F1 drivers will look to recharge their battery during the 2 week break before moving to Australia.

The COVID-19 pandemic meant the race did not go ahead in Albert Park since 2019. However, the show returns to Melbourne in two weeks’ time after 2 long years.

The Australian Grand Prix is back! And, for the first time in years, so are fans. This season will usher in a new era of F1 with fresh faces, new tracks, and major rule changes that are bringing even more excitement to an already exhilarating sport.

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Netflix’s Drive to Survive has played a major role in attracting new fans to the sport. And it has allured many fans, especially women, with a demand for the tickets at an all-time high according to reports.

F1 Drive to Survive has increased the demand for Australian GP

The Australian GP is an absolute treat for motorsport fans. Australian Grand Prix Corporation boss Andrew Westacott believes that the demand is on the rise this season. He also says that around 25,000 fans will miss out on the event because they sold all the tickets.

Westacott admitted that the demand is high because of the return of the Grand Prix after two years, and the change in regulations of the sport. However, he cites Netflix’s Drive to Survive as one of the important reasons for the excitement among the fans this season.

He conveyed, “I’ve had first-hand experience of people I wouldn’t have thought were interested in F1 buying tickets and telling me they’re coming along because of Netflix. It’s been a marketing phenomenon.”

Reports suggested tickets were sold 18 weeks prior to the Australian Grand Prix. The previous record was 6 weeks before the race. As a result, new stands were added, and within an hour there were no tickets left. It was also seen as a sport for older and middle-aged people.

However, Netflix’s show has driven a new market. The sport has attracted younger fans and particularly women. And according to Westacott, they have sold 40 percent of the tickets to women compared to 25 percent in 2019.

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Although some drivers have criticized the show for spinning the narrative, there is no doubt that it has upped the interest in the sport. The F1 World will hope the growth continues as Formula 1 moves to Australia on April 10th.