Formula 1 has confirmed a record-breaking total weekend attendance of 5.7 million across the 22 races which took place during the 2022 season.
Images: © F1Destinations
Last year’s total attendance at Formula 1 race weekends was 5.7 million. The figure compares favourably with 2019, which was the last full season in which race attendances were not impacted by coronavirus-related restrictions.
The total F1 attendance figure in 2022 was up 36% on the 2019 figure, when 4,164,948 attended the 21 races held that season. Formula 1’s weekend attendance figures are calculated by adding together the total number of fans who attended on each day of the race weekend – which usually runs over three days (though in some instances, such as in Australia, is over four days). It means that each individual fan is included three times in the total figure, if they attend all three days of the race weekend.
Back in December, we calculated that Formula 1’s 2022 attendance figure was over 5 million by adding together the 18 already-announced weekend attendance figures, provided by race organisers and Formula 1. The total from the 18 confirmed race attendances came to 5,305,807. The remaining 400,000 in the total figure announced by Liberty Media comes from previously unannounced attendances at the Saudi Arabian, Emilia Romagna, Monaco and Azerbaijan Grands Prix.
Liberty Media’s annual report also confirmed that Formula 1 had 1.54 bullion cumulative TV viewers in 2022, with viewership in the United States rising by 36%. Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali commented on the sport’s impressive figures, noting that increased viewership has enticed more manufacturers to the sport:
“Formula 1 saw record attendance at its races in 2022 and we were once again the fastest growing major sport on social media. We are continuing to build fan engagement through our high-quality broadcast, enhanced content on F1 TV, social channels and new immersive experiences including the F1 Arcade and F1 Exhibition products. F1’s global relevance and sustainability efforts are enticing the entry of premier OEMs including Audi and Ford in 2026, and we are confident they will bring significant value to our sport. We look forward to a record 23 race calendar this year including, in particular, the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix.”
United States Grand Prix best attended, Spanish Grand Prix sees biggest growth
The United States Grand Prix was the best-attended race weekend of the 2022 season, with 440,000 fans passing through the circuit gates. The Australian and British Grands Prix also saw weekend attendances of over 400,000, while ten races in total attracted a weekend crowd of more than 300,000. Read more in our detailed race-by-race analysis of 2022’s Formula 1 attendance figures.
The Spanish Grand Prix had the biggest growth in attendance of any race on the 2022 calendar. While the 2019 Spanish Grand Prix attendance figure was 160,000, the 2022 figure grew to just under 280,000 – up 73% on the previous full capacity race. The growth can be partly attributed to the return of Fernando Alonso to the Formula 1 grid, as well as fellow Spaniard Carlos Sainz moving to a front-running team.
| Event | Last full capacity race | Previous race attendance | 2022 attendance | Growth since last race | % Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 2019 | 160,428 | 277,836 | 117,408 | 73% |
| Italy | 2019 | 200,000 | 337,000 | 137,000 | 69% |
| Netherlands | 2021* | 195,000 | 305,000 | 110,000 | 56% |
| Austria | 2019 | 203,000 | 303,000 | 100,000 | 49% |
| France | 2019 | 135,000 | 200,000 | 65,000 | 48% |
| Belgium | 2019 | 251,864 | 360,000 | 108,136 | 43% |
| Sao Paulo | 2021 | 181,000 | 236,000 | 55,000 | 30% |
| Australia | 2019 | 324,000 | 419,114 | 95,114 | 29% |
| Hungary | 2019 | 230,000 | 290,000 | 60,000 | 26% |
| Japan | 2018** | 165,000 | 200,000 | 35,000 | 21% |
| Britain | 2021 | 346,000 | 401,000 | 55,000 | 16% |
| Singapore | 2019 | 268,000 | 302,000 | 34,000 | 13% |
| Canada | 2019 | 307,000 | 338,000 | 31,000 | 10% |
| United States | 2021 | 400,000 | 440,000 | 40,000 | 10% |
| Mexico City | 2021 | 371,000 | 395,902 | 24,902 | 7% |
| Abu Dhabi | 2021 | 153,000 | 160,000 | 7,000 | 5% |
| Bahrain | 2019 | 97,000 | 98,000 | 1,000 | 1% |
*The only previous race at Zandvoort, in its current form, was in 2021 when attendance was capped at two thirds of full capacity. **At the Japanese Grand Prix, the attendance is compared to the 2018 figure, as the Saturday of the 2019 Suzuka race weekend was cancelled due to weather conditions.
Unfortunately, the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix was beset by organisational issues, with race organisers seemingly caught out by the rise in attendance figures. A similar situation played out at the Italian Grand Prix, where fans faced long queues to get into the circuit and even longer queues for public transport.
Formula 1’s attendance figures are expected to rise once again in 2023. With 23 races on the calendar – including the new Las Vegas Grand Prix – it is feasible that this year’s figure could go beyond 6 million total attendees. Tickets for a number of races have already sold out, including the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, which attracted a record 98,000 fans over the 2022 race weekend.
