USA/Formula 1: a record 2.6 million viewers for the Miami Grand Prix on ABC

The inaugural Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix (USA), the fifth race of the 2022 season, won by Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing), drew 2.6 million viewers in the United States, with a peak audience of 2.9 million, on the free-TV channel ABC (The Walt Disney Company) on Sunday 08/05/2022 (race start at 15:30 ET, 21:30 CET). This is the all-time record for a Formula One Grand Prix broadcast live in the USA.

The previous record audience for a race broadcast live on a US channel was the 1995 Brazilian Grand Prix, which drew 1.744 million viewers on the pay-TV channel ESPN. Excluding live coverage, the record for a Grand Prix broadcast in the United States is still held by the 2002 Monaco GP, which was broadcast on a delayed basis on ABC and watched by an average of 2.784 million viewers.

"Through five races, the 2022 F1 season is averaging 1.4 million viewers per race, up 49% over the 2021 season average (949,000 viewers) and up 131% over the 2020 season average (609,000 viewers). This year's seasonal average of 1.4 million viewers is 53% larger than average of 922,000 for the first…