F1's knocks down barriers and expands its reach into horizons yet unexplored

In a press release , Stefano Domenicali is quoted lauding the progress F1 has made over the past four years: "As we mark our 75th anniversary, Formula 1 continues to evolve and grow. We are a truly international sport, racing in 24 destinations and in 21 countries worldwide, with a global fan base of more than 800 million. Our fans don’t just watch; they live and breathe every moment on and off the track and they interact and engage with the sport in meaningful ways."

As the current F1 CEO vindicates the fans' support and ever-growing engagement he looks to the 2026 season and makes a heartfelt pledge to the F1 following: "We are excited about our future. As we enter 2026, we will see a new era of cars with sustainable fuel and a new team and new venue that will further improve the battle on the track. And we know our fans are excited too. Together, we will continue to serve the best interests of our fans, as they are the heartbeat of everything we do.  The passion, the energy and the adrenaline are the fuel that powers us at to give our absolute best every day."

The F1 and Motorsport Network survey engulfed over 100,000 constantly engaging F1 fans from 185 countries whose "insights are designed to support stakeholders across the F1 landscape looking to build lasting relevance and resonance with a global, passionate, and fast-changing fanbase," the survey's findings report reads.

The F1 movie's impact, starring Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Javier Bardem and co-produced by Lewis Hamilton is not embedded in the report due to its recent release, which has kept the surveyours from properly analysing its impact.

Given the timing of the survey fieldworks, findings also don’t reflect the impact of the F1 movie, and its potential to grow engagement and excitement with both new and existing fans.

According to the data gathered F1's position is stronger than ever, with 94% of fans voicing an intention to remain loyal to the sport in the next five years across different generations and genders as well, and 87% of younger US-based fans are planning to attend a race in the future, opening the door for a 'massive conversion rate' in terms of ticket sales.

The survey also indicates F1 has a stronghold at the heart of the overview of motorsports as a whole with 75% of fans who took part in the survey stating they follow F1 ardently, and with 15% revealing they only follow the pinnacle series of the racing world. Furthermore, whilst several fans also admitted to following other sports, F1 trumped them all in terms of the 'emotional attributes' embedded in the series: 'innovation, glamour, and excitement.'

For decades F1 was a sport predominantly followed by a single demographic, a reach which has been expanded massively, the report notes.