Formula 1 experienced remarkable growth after Liberty Media collaborated with Netflix for the docuseries, Drive to Survive. While the series received acclaim from the F1 community for elevating the sport’s global profile, a recent opinion from an expert contradicts this positive sentiment. According to Formula 1 business expert Mark Gallagher, the combination of Drive to Survive and Max Verstappen’s success is hurting the sport and leading to a decline in fan interest.
In a Flat Chat podcast interview, Gallagher explained that while the docuseries aims to portray F1 as a competitive sport, the actual on-track experience presents a contrasting picture. He elaborated, “Then you go to an actual race, and Max Verstappen wins, and Red Bull completely dominates. So you have a sport that has presented itself as a level playing field, but in reality, it is about technical meritocracy.”
Indeed, Verstappen’s dominance is extraordinary. Last year, he secured victories in 19 out of 22 races, significantly contributing to his team’s Constructors’ Championship title.
The extent of his dominance has led experts like Eddie Jordan to draw parallels with historical reigns. On the Formula for Success podcast, Jordan expressed being bored watching Verstappen dominate the track. Additionally, individuals like Jake Dennis have voiced their perspectives on Verstappen’s dominance as well.
Dennis believes that according to the average fan’s viewpoint, the season becomes monotonous when the same driver consistently emerges victorious. Despite the Dutchman’s overwhelming dominance, Mark Gallagher maintains that fans with a deeper knowledge of the sport will remain loyal viewers.
Fans are currently looking forward to the cars’ premiere and the upcoming test sessions in Bahrain. In addition, the official premiere date of the upcoming season of Drive to Survive has also been revealed and is set for February 23rd.
How has Max Verstappen’s dominance affected F1’s viewership?
Max Verstappen’s dominance in the 2023 F1 season presented challenges for F1 authorities working to level the playing field and increase the sport’s excitement. Despite their best efforts, the combination of the Dutchman, Adrian Newey, and Christian Horner managed to help Red Bull establish themselves in a league of their own.
Consequently, Verstappen’s consistent victories resulted in a substantial drop of around 650,000 in F1 viewership. Despite this decline, F1’s CEO Stefano Domenicali has seemingly attracted more investors.
Domenicali reportedly attracted more investors by citing Verstappen’s success as a historic example. This strategic approach is evident in F1’s ambitious initiative to expand its market in the USA through the introduction of multiple races.
While F1 previously had only one race in America until 2021, it has now expanded to three circuits: Austin, Miami, and Las Vegas. The Las Vegas GP, in particular, proved to be a lucrative event for F1, generating substantial profits.
However, the steep ticket prices and inconvenience to the regular residents of Las Vegas have caused some tension for F1 authorities recently. Nevertheless, these tensions don’t appear to hinder F1’s aspirations to host races in Las Vegas for the next decade.
