The Australian Grand Prix set a new viewership record on ESPN, drawing an average of 1.1 million viewers despite the challenging midnight ET start time. The figure more than doubled the previous record of 659,000 set in 2019.

The dramatic wet race, which saw Lando Norris hold off Max Verstappen for victory, peaked at 1.3 million viewers during its opening stages. This represents a significant increase from the 541,000 viewers who watched Carlos Sainz's victory on ESPN2 in 2024.

While slightly below the 2024 Bahrain season opener (1.12 million) and 2023's race (1.32 million), these numbers are particularly impressive given Melbourne's unfavorable U.S. time zone. The strong viewership suggests ESPN could be on track for a record-breaking year in its final season of F1 coverage.

Looking ahead, Formula 1's U.S. broadcasting rights are up for grabs, with Netflix emerging as the frontrunner among streaming platforms, including Apple and Amazon, for the 2026 season onwards.

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