The 2026 Formula 1 Brazilian Grand Prix attracted a combined television audience of 2.423 million viewers in Italy across Sky and TV8, demonstrating continued interest in the championship despite the Drivers’ World Championship having already been decided. Although the race at Interlagos experienced a slight decline in viewership, its audience remained broadly consistent with the season’s average, while both broadcasters recorded clear improvements compared with 2025.
The unpredictable weather played a central role in keeping viewers engaged throughout the São Paulo Grand Prix. Rain, changing track conditions and strategic uncertainty created an event in which the outcome remained difficult to predict until the chequered flag. For Ferrari supporters, however, the afternoon was considerably less enjoyable, as Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc endured another disappointing race.
2026 Brazilian GP TV ratings: Sky and TV8 attract over 2.4 million viewers
The Brazilian Grand Prix recorded a total audience of 2,423,000 viewers across Italy’s two main Formula 1 television broadcasters.
Sky attracted 1,248,000 viewers for its coverage of the race, while free-to-air broadcaster TV8 recorded an audience of 1,175,000.
Compared with the corresponding figures from 2025, both pay television and free-to-air coverage showed significant improvements. TV8’s performance was particularly noteworthy, with the channel comfortably exceeding 1.1 million viewers.
The figures indicate that interest in Formula 1 remains strong among Italian audiences, even with the Drivers’ Championship already settled before the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Unpredictable weather keeps Brazilian GP viewers watching until the finish
Uncertainty was the defining characteristic of the race at Interlagos, where changing weather conditions repeatedly transformed the challenge facing the drivers.
Rain made the opening stages particularly difficult, leaving the circuit wet and unpredictable. As conditions improved, the asphalt gradually dried, allowing teams to adopt different tyre strategies.
However, the situation changed once again towards the end of the Grand Prix when rain returned, creating another complicated phase for drivers and strategists. The combination of a wet start, a drying circuit and further rainfall effectively produced three different racing conditions within a single event.
Weather uncertainty kept the outcome open until the final crossing of the chequered flag, making tyre selection and the timing of pit stops particularly important.
The difficulties created by the changing weather had already been highlighted in the 2026 Brazilian GP tyre and weather analysis, which examined the technical challenges teams could face at Interlagos.
Ferrari endures another difficult Brazilian Grand Prix
Amid the rain and strategic uncertainty, Ferrari experienced a particularly disappointing afternoon.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc struggled throughout the race, with communication mistakes and unsuccessful tyre decisions contributing to a result that fell well below the team’s expectations.
Charles Leclerc finished eighth, while Lewis Hamilton crossed the line ninth, leaving the Scuderia with little to celebrate after an already complicated weekend. The result added to the concerns surrounding Ferrari’s performance and race management during the closing stages of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Although the Italian team had shown signs of competitiveness during previous rounds, the Brazilian Grand Prix exposed further difficulties in adapting to changing conditions and executing race strategy effectively.
After an afternoon characterised by missed opportunities and operational problems, Ferrari left São Paulo with more questions than answers.
Lando Norris wins Brazilian GP as Mercedes celebrates constructors’ championship
While Ferrari struggled, Lando Norris emerged victorious at Interlagos.
The McLaren driver delivered a composed performance and made the right strategic decisions during the most critical phases of the rain-affected race. His victory brought a definitive conclusion to the championship battle, although the Drivers’ World Championship had already been decided before the weekend.
Max Verstappen finished second, followed by his Red Bull team-mate Isack Hadjar in third position. Mercedes also had reason to celebrate despite missing out on the podium.
George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli finished outside the top three, but the team’s overall performance was sufficient to secure the Constructors’ World Championship.
Brazilian GP viewing figures highlight Formula 1’s popularity in Italy
Despite the Drivers’ Championship having already been settled, the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix demonstrated Formula 1’s ability to attract substantial television audiences in Italy.
The improvements recorded by both Sky and TV8 compared with 2025 suggest that the championship continues to maintain strong interest among Italian viewers. The unpredictable weather, changing tyre strategies and the uncertainty surrounding the final result contributed to a race that offered plenty of drama.
For Ferrari fans, the outcome was disappointing, with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc unable to deliver a strong result. Nevertheless, the overall television audience demonstrated that the combination of unpredictable conditions and competitive racing remained appealing to viewers.
With the season approaching its conclusion, attention now turns to the remaining races on the 2026 Formula 1 calendar, as teams attempt to finish the championship on a positive note.
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