In 2017, just 8% of Formula 1 fans were female. Jump to 2023 and there’s been a vast rise in women watching the sport. Now, a whopping 40% of F1 fans are women. That is a massive 400% increase in just five years! Why the huge spike, and what can F1 do to retain and continue to grow its female viewership?
It is so rare to see such fast and substantial growth in a specific audience category, not just in the motorsport world but in all walks of life. But, particularly for a lot of male-dominated sports, it is even more unlikely to see a female fanbase growing exponentially. This surge of female fans into a motorsport world that has for so long been targeted towards men and young boys has not really been seen before in any other sport. It is also an incredibly important following for bringing in revenue. Recent examples like the success of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour (which has grossed $780 million so far, and Taylor Swift herself is now estimated to be a billionaire) and the Barbie movie (grossing $1.38 billion) highlight how vital and powerful the young, female target market is.
Photographer Credit: Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
When discussing the rise in Formula 1 fans, the Netflix phenomenon Drive to Survive has to be mentioned. First released in 2019, this Netflix hit show now has five seasons and is renewed for a sixth. Each season looks back at the previous F1 season's racing. The programme boosted the popularity of Haas and its team principal, Guenther Steiner, along with thrusting Daniel Ricciardo into the spotlight. Both Steiner and Ricciardo now seem almost universally loved, along with Haas being rooted for as the underdogs. The series has certainly helped to introduce a lot of new spectators to the sport, not just women. It also caused a growth in the American audience, which has now translated to two new race circuits in the USA: Miami, which was new in 2022, and Las Vegas, which was added for the 2023 season. Drive to Survive has also brought in younger fans. Compared to other motorsports, F1 now has one of the youngest fanbases. In 2017, the average age of an F1 viewer was 36 and now, in 2023, that has dropped to 32.
The Liberty Media Corporation bought Formula 1 in 2017. So, a large chunk of the current audience are new fans who have started following the sport in the last five years since Liberty Media took over. This younger, newer, and more diverse audience is an exciting strength for the F1 world, and I hope they do more to retain and grow it. Unfortunately, following the colossal spike in viewership for the sport, it has since peaked and is decreasing. So, what can Liberty Media do to preserve the female viewership and keep women watching F1?
Photographer Credit: Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
Seeing female representation in the sport is a huge incentive for female audiences. In 2023, we saw the inaugural season of the F1 Academy, the female-only single-seater racing championship. The season finale was televised internationally, and for the 2024 season every race will be broadcast. F1 Academy has proved to be more successful than the former W Series so far due to its integration with the F1 world. Founded and funded by Formula 1, it was formed with the intention of creating a clear road to F1. We will also see further integration in 2024 for these female drivers. Each F1 Academy team will be partnered with an F1 team, and more F1 Academy drivers are being signed up to their development programmes. Marta García, F1 Academy's 2023 Championship winner, will go on to compete with Prema Racing in the 2024 Formula Regional European Championship. I hope that the support from current F1 drivers and teams will continue to grow.
Separate to the F1 Academy, other successful female drivers have been given more of the spotlight. Jessica Hawkins is a British racing and stunt driver who competed in the W Series prior to it entering administration at the end of 2022. In 2023, she became an ambassador for Aston Martin and the first woman in nearly five years to drive an F1 car. Jamie Chadwick, three-time W Series champion and current driver for Andretti Autosport in Indy NXT, has also completed car tests for the Williams F1 team.
Photographer Credit: Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
Not only are women getting to see more professional female racing drivers, but the importance of female pundits, media presenters, race engineers, team strategists, and managers cannot be understated when considering why the female F1 viewership has boomed. Inspirational women such as Susie Wolff, Bernie Collins, Natalie Pinkham, Hannah Schmitz, and Naomi Schiff are now regularly on our screens sharing their technical knowledge and insight into the sport. This increased publicity, representation, and opportunity for women creates new ways for women to enter the sport, not just as fans but also for their careers. Seeing more women in the space brings in more women.
In the past, many women have faced comments like: "if you are into F1 then name every driver", "who won the Championship in 1984?", and "do you only like F1 because the drivers are hot?". When, in reality, female fans are known for delving into their interests, dedicating time to learning all of the facts and figures, getting involved in events, and supporting through purchasing merchandise. In my experience, female fans are some of the most resolute and positive groups. Groups like Girls Across The Grid are supporting women to feel confident, safe, and supported in their passion for the sport. They are creating a social, friendly atmosphere to enjoy motorsport together, free from judgement, criticism, and scepticism. With women finding group and spaces like these where they feel more comfortable in expressing their views and having a voice, then they become more likely to bring their friends and family along, sharing their passion, and further increasing the fanbase.
Certainly, it seems that the future of F1 is female.
Photographer Credit: Girls Across The Grid / Instagram @girlsacrossthegrid