Massive F1 Miami GP viewership makes headlines… is Formula E keeping up?

Well, the Miami GP was a whopper… and its US viewership soared to 3.1 million as a result.

A record-breaking stat that demonstrates how decades of lofty legacy and pedigree have been translated into something that resonates with a US audience. Kudos to Liberty Media – it’s impressive.

According to Formula E, the all-electric racing series has experienced similar mind-blowing viewing figures in the US, with a staggering 3.4 million tuning in for their Mexico City showdown back in January – more than F1’s biggest weekend on the books. 
 
This year, Formula E launched a new partnership with TNT Sports as its official broadcast collaborator for the UK, placing the sport firmly behind a paywall for live race coverage. Admittedly the programming schedule is much more well-thought-out than in previous years. For instance, showing the racing on the back of Premier League Games should have a significant positive impact… but does the UK match up to the series’ fall-off-your-seat-amazing US viewing figures?
 
Outlets such as The Race reported that 260,000 viewers in total tuned in on TNT Sports for Formula E’s Season 10 opener in Mexico City. That’s a big difference (and yes, we know the US is far larger, but still).
 
Is a UK audience perhaps less tolerant of paywalls? F1’s live race coverage is behind paywalls too, but they have a whole lot of history, a following, a hefty media strategy, and generally a lot of clout. In short, F1's established prestige over 70 plus years of racing grants it leverage, attracting eyeballs without barriers.
 
Could it be that Formula E's low UK viewing figures stem from its nascent status? Placing races behind paywalls after only nine seasons perhaps alienates potential fans, restricting its growth.