Formula 1’s 2026 attendance records have provided fresh evidence of the championship’s continued global expansion, with every Grand Prix staged so far selling out and television audiences increasing significantly in several markets. The figures suggest that criticism of the new technical regulations has not prevented the sport from attracting more spectators, while Ferrari’s renewed competitiveness and Kimi Antonelli’s victories have helped generate particularly strong growth in Italy.
Formula 1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali described the championship as increasingly compelling, pointing to the amount of action on track and the positive response from supporters. He emphasised that sustaining this momentum would depend on Formula 1 remaining relevant to the different groups it is attempting to reach.
2026 F1 attendance records reach new highs
Every event completed on the 2026 Formula 1 calendar has reportedly sold out. Almost 3.7 million spectators have attended race weekends, representing a six per cent increase compared with the equivalent period last year.
Australia, Canada, Austria, Silverstone, Belgium and Hungary all established new attendance records. The Hungarian Grand Prix weekend was among the events to reach a new high, while Silverstone recorded the largest attendance in Formula 1 history, welcoming 564,000 spectators across three days. Japan delivered the greatest year-on-year percentage increase, with attendance rising by 18 per cent compared with 2025.
Kimi Antonelli and Ferrari fuel Italian audience growth
The upward trend has been especially pronounced in Italy, where Ferrari has returned to competitive form and Kimi Antonelli has emerged as a leading figure in the championship. The Italian Grand Prix has already been sold out for Sunday for some time, leaving Monza in a position to establish a new attendance record at the historic circuit.
Italian television figures have also climbed sharply. Viewership for the British Grand Prix increased by 27 per cent compared with the previous season, while several races delivered their strongest recent audiences across Sky and TV8. Japan attracted the highest audience since 2017, Belgium produced its best figure since 2019 and the Chinese Grand Prix doubled its previous viewership.
Those increases were attributed mainly to Antonelli’s victories at the three events. Interest surrounding Ferrari’s recovery, Kimi Antonelli’s championship lead and the presence of Racing Bulls has helped create a particularly favourable period for Formula 1 in Italy. Against that backdrop, Sky has renewed its Formula 1 broadcasting rights until at least 2032.
Formula 1 attracts a younger and more diverse audience
Worldwide interest has encouraged an increasing number of circuits and promoters to seek places on the calendar. Formula 1’s global following is estimated at approximately 830 million people, representing a 64 per cent increase since 2018, identified in the figures as the year Liberty Media acquired the championship.
The composition of that audience also reflects Formula 1’s efforts to broaden its reach. Women account for 42 per cent of the global fanbase, while the same proportion of followers are under 35. Surveys comparing the 2025 and 2026 seasons indicated that supporters preferred this year’s races at every venue apart from Australia, Britain and Austria.
Audience demand reshapes the future F1 calendar
The commercial momentum is also influencing Formula 1’s geographical plans. Malaysia is returning to the 2026 calendar in Bahrain’s place, while further changes are being prepared as part of Formula 1’s planning for the 2027 schedule.
Turkey has signed a five-year agreement beginning in 2027, with Portugal set to host races in both 2027 and 2028. Elsewhere, Las Vegas has extended its contract through 2037, while Barcelona and Spa-Francorchamps will alternate their appearances on the calendar until 2032.
Taken together, the attendance, television and fanbase figures show that Formula 1 continues to expand despite debate surrounding the current regulations. For Ferrari and Italian supporters, the forthcoming Monza weekend will offer the next indication of how strongly the Scuderia’s revival and Antonelli’s championship success are translating into record interest at home.
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