F1 Esports: Increasing figures

Started in 2017, the F1 Esports Pro Series quickly established itself as one of the most important championships in sim racing.

The F1 Esports consist of several championships forming an ecosystem that ensures a constant flow of content for the F1 game.

The F1 Esports Pro Series: A championship where the official drivers from each Formula 1 team compete in Esports. The reward for the winning team was $750,000 in 2021.

The Challengers: The top 6 drivers from each platform (PlayStation, PC, and Xbox) may have the opportunity to be signed by a Formula 1 team to participate in the F1 Esports Pro Series.

The Exhibition Pro: Races in which teams can test potential new recruits for the Pro Series and also a good way for drivers to train.

These 3 competitions combined for a total of 23 million views, across all social networks. That’s twice as much as last year.

According to F1 estimates, F1 Esports would have reached a total audience of 858,000 people, triple that of 2020 (269,000).

A growing interest in F1 Esports can be explained by several factors. First, Formula 1 as a whole is attracting more and more fans. The 2021 season and its thrilling battle between Verstappen and Hamilton have played a significant role in this. In 2020, interest in Formula 1 had increased by 17% on social media.

Secondly, the rise of the F1 Esports scene is directly linked to Liberty Media’s strategy to attract an ever younger audience. This is manifested notably through a significant presence on social media and its partnership with Netflix.

If the rejuvenation of Formula 1 is beyond doubt, it is necessary to recall that in 2019, Matt Roberts, the director of market research at F1, announced that only 14% of Formula 1 fans were under the age of 25.

If there are still progress to be made by the premier category of motor sports to sustain its audience, it is undeniable that Liberty Media’s strategy is gradually starting to bear fruit.