The 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix attracted a combined Italian television audience of 2.857 million viewers across Sky, Sky Go and free-to-air channel TV8, despite a disappointing Sunday for Ferrari. The impressive figures underline Formula 1’s continued popularity in Italy, with audiences maintaining the positive trend recorded over recent weeks.
The race at the Hungaroring, won by Lando Norris, demonstrated that Formula 1 retains enormous appeal among Italian viewers even when events on track do not favour Ferrari or the country’s leading drivers. It became one of the most-watched Grands Prix of the year, despite the Scuderia finishing outside the podium positions after a weekend that had initially promised much more.
Lando Norris wins dramatic 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix
Lando Norris started from pole position but lost the lead at the beginning of the race when McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri passed him with a decisive move at Turn 2. The British driver nevertheless maintained superior pace and made the most of McLaren’s strategy as the contest developed.
Oscar Piastri was then forced to retire with a gearbox problem at around lap 55. Once back in the lead, Lando Norris controlled the closing stages authoritatively and crossed the finish line more than 15 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen. The victory and complete finishing order can be found in the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix results.
Ferrari, meanwhile, endured a race to forget after its promising performance earlier in the weekend failed to produce a podium. Frédéric Vasseur subsequently admitted that everything went wrong for Ferrari in Hungary.
Hungarian GP TV audience reaches 2.857 million in Italy
The Hungarian Grand Prix broadcast across Sky, Sky Go and TV8 attracted a combined audience of 2.857 million viewers. Sky’s subscription coverage reached 1.600 million viewers, while the free-to-air broadcast on TV8 drew an audience of 1.257 million.
Those numbers establish the Hungarian round as one of the most-watched Formula 1 events of 2026 in Italy. For Sky, it represented the third-best audience figure of the season, providing further evidence of the championship’s strength despite Ferrari’s difficult race.
Kimi Antonelli also gave Italian supporters reason to celebrate by completing a solid recovery drive and finishing third. His podium added another important result to a season in which the young Mercedes driver has emerged as one of the championship’s leading figures.
Sky extends 13-year Formula 1 audience record
Sky has now exceeded 1.5 million viewers for five consecutive Grands Prix, a sequence not achieved for 13 years. The comparison with the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix is equally encouraging, as both Sky and TV8 increased their audiences year on year.
Sky’s viewership rose from 1.545 million in 2025 to 1.600 million in 2026, while TV8 improved from 1.193 million to 1.257 million. The growth across both broadcasters confirms the continued ability of Formula 1 to attract a large and varied Italian audience.
Formula 1’s popularity continues to grow in Italy
The combination of Sky’s premium coverage and TV8’s free-to-air window continues to prove successful, allowing Formula 1 to reach both its most dedicated followers and a broader general audience. A fifth consecutive race above 1.5 million viewers on Sky represents a historic achievement and further strengthens the relationship between the championship and Italian television audiences.
The viewing figures are particularly notable given Ferrari’s frustrating afternoon at the Hungaroring. Lewis Hamilton believed that Ferrari should have won the Hungarian Grand Prix, making the final outcome even more disappointing for the Tifosi who followed the race in such large numbers.
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