Max Verstappen and Co’s Struggles Lead to F1 Setting All Time Records

Four races ago, Ferrari and McLaren’s rapid uprising shocked Red Bull. Max Verstappen was no longer the dominant force as Lando Norris began the proceedings in Miami to mark the reigning world champion’s descent. F1 fans finally breathed a sigh of relief, and even non-McLaren fans celebrated Red Bull’s uncommon failure. Their ‘boring’ 2023 dominance finally ended, and this is reflected in F1’s historic viewership numbers.

After Max Verstappen ended Lewis Hamilton‘s dominance in 2021, more Americans tuned in to ESPN in 2022 to witness a new era. 2022 was the first year in USA TV history to average more than 1 million viewers per race. Compared to 2021’s record of 949,000 average viewers on ESPN, the 2022 average increased multifold to 1.21 million. But as Red Bull unleashed their mighty RB19 in 2023, Verstappen won 19 out of 22 races, and average viewership dropped to 1.11 million.

Come 2024, the Milton Keynes outfit looked set to continue their rampage, with the Dutchman leading the way. The Australian GP was Red Bull’s first failure, not because of a lack of pace but a reliability issue. However, the Miami GP that McLaren rightfully won by keeping Verstappen behind was a boon for F1 as per ESPN, with 3.1 million average viewers tuned in on ABC, compared to 2023’s 1.96 million averaging Miami GP, F1 set an all-time record.

As Red Bull’s struggles became more evident, and rivals closed in for a tough battle, the boom continued. Three of the last four races have set viewership records. The Canadian GP earned its largest TV audience, with a record 1.8 million average viewers. The converging field in the third year of the ground-effect regulations is a relief for F1 bosses. The top 3 teams are going neck and neck in the battle for ultimate glory. But this is expected to die down once again as F1 returns to the Spanish GP next weekend.

Max Verstappen predicted to rule once again at the Spanish GP

The last two F1 races were on not-so-traditional circuits. The Monaco GP was on the narrow and bumpy streets of the principality and the Canadian GP track is also known for its bumpy nature. Both tracks force drivers to ride the curbs aggressively, something that Red Bull’s RB20 isn’t good at.

Because of this, even 3-time champion Max Verstappen was at a disadvantage. Both Ferrari and McLaren outpaced the Dutchman in Monaco, with him finishing in a lowly P6. Following this, Mercedes emerged as the surprise contender in Canada, but George Russell couldn’t hold his nerve. Luck sided with Verstappen as the safety car played right into his hands.

For the Spanish GP, however, he wouldn’t require any luck. The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is a traditional European circuit suited to the RB20’s strengths. To counter this, McLaren and Mercedes have already planned upgrades for the upcoming race. But compared to Red Bull, they still might be ineffective. The viewership during and after the Spain-Austria-UK triple header might be the real indicator of progress or decline.