The 2024 Formula 1 season has seen another year of record-breaking attendances to date, with total annual attendance passing 6 million for the second year in a row.
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Formula 1 attendance figures have been on the rise in recent years and the 24-race 2024 season has been another record-breaker. In 2019, the final full season before the global coronavirus pandemic, total attendance reached 4.16 million across the 21 rounds. In 2022, the first year in which races were open to the public after the pandemic, overall attendance had grown to 5.7 million across the 22 race weekends.
F1 attendances grew further in 2023, to over 6 million. The 2024 Formula 1 season featured 24 rounds in total – two more than in 2023. The additional races which returned this season were the Chinese Grand Prix, which re-appeared after a five-year absence, and the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, which was cancelled at late notice in 2023 due to local flooding. As a result of there being two additional races this season – and attendance figures continuing to grow – total attendance in 2024 is expected to have exceeded last year’s total.
The graph above shows the full weekend Formula 1 attendance figures for the 2024 season, as published by Formula 1, race organisers or other sources.
For the second year in a row, the British Grand Prix ranked as the best-attended race of the year. Silverstone confirmed that 4-day attendance at the track in 2024 was 480,000. The 2023 British Grand Prix had the same attendance. Only the 1995 Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide enjoyed a higher attendance amongst the best-attended Formula 1 race weekends of all time.
Most races have shared similar or increased attendance figures compared to 2023 but year-on-year attendance growth has not been as big as in other recent seasons. There could be a number of reasons for this, including the so-called 'cost of living crisis' affecting many Western countries coupled with rising ticket prices at Formula 1 races, and Max Verstappen and Red Bull’s domination of the sport at the time when most tickets for this year’s races first became available.
It should be noted that calculating the weekend attendance figure is not an exact science and will vary from circuit to circuit. Fans who attended multiple days of the event weekend are counted for each day they attended for weekend attendance figures. Some circuits include operational staff in their counts, while some events are also believed to include competitors and holders of free tickets.
Attendance Continues to Grow at Most Races
| Race | 2024 Weekend Attendance | Previous Weekend Attendance | Attendance Growth | % Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bahrain Grand Prix | 100000 | 99500 | 500 | 0.50% |
| Australian Grand Prix | 452055 | 444631 | 7424 | 1.67% |
| Japanese Grand Prix | 229000 | 222000 | 7000 | 3.15% |
| Chinese Grand Prix | 200000 | 160000 | 40000 | 25.00% |
| Miami Grand Prix | 275000 | 270491 | 4509 | 1.67% |
| Emilia Romagna Grand Prix | 200000 | 129656 | 70344 | 54.25% |
| Canadian Grand Prix | 350000 | 345000 | 5000 | 1.45% |
| Spanish Grand Prix | 297368 | 284066 | 13302 | 4.68% |
| Austrian Grand Prix | 302000 | 304000 | -2000 | -0.66% |
| British Grand Prix | 480000 | 480000 | 0 | 0.00% |
| Hungarian Grand Prix | 310000 | 303000 | 7000 | 2.31% |
| Belgian Grand Prix | 380000 | 380000 | 0 | 0.00% |
| Dutch Grand Prix | 305000 | 305000 | 0 | 0.00% |
| Italian Grand Prix | 335000 | 304135 | 30865 | 10.15% |
| Singapore Grand Prix | 269072 | 264108 | 4964 | 1.88% |
| Mexico City Grand Prix | 404958 | 400639 | 4319 | 1.08% |
| Sao Paulo Grand Prix | 291717 | 267000 | 24717 | 9.26% |
| Las Vegas Grand Prix | 306000 | 315000 | -9000 | -2.86% |
| Qatar Grand Prix | 154973 | 120000 | 34973 | 29.14% |
| Abu Dhabi Grand Prix | 190000 | 170000 | 20000 | 11.76% |
The table above shows, where possible, the gain in weekend attendance at each Grand Prix since the last Formula 1 race event at each circuit. For every race in the list, the ‘Previous Weekend Attendance’ figure is from the 2023 event, except for the Chinese Grand Prix (the last edition of which took place in 2019) and the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix (which was last held in 2022). Attendance figures for the 2024 Saudi Arabian, Monaco and United States Grands Prix have not been announced. Those races are therefore not included in this table.
Formula 1 attendances have continued to grow in 2024, though at a somewhat steadier rate compared to in previous seasons. The biggest attendance growths have been seen at the venues which have gone the longest since their last appearance on the calendar. Attendance grew by over 50% at Imola, two years on from the last Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Meanwhile, the return of the Chinese Grand Prix attracted around 25% more spectators in 2024 than it did when it was last held in 2019. The Italian Grand Prix at Monza, which increased its capacity for the 2024 race weekend, is the only other race at which attendance has grown by over 5% year-on-year.
There have been five races in 2024 at which attendance has not grown since last year. The British, Belgian and Dutch Grands Prix all posted identical attendance figures to the previous season (likely rounded to the nearest thousand). The Austrian Grand Prix weekend had 2,000 less attendees in 2024 than it did in 2023, while attendance dropped at the Las Vegas Grand Prix by 9,000 (2just under 3%) for its second appearance on the schedule. At the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix, weekend attendance grew by almost 5% but race day attendance figure declined marginally compared to last year.
Combined confirmed weekend attendances in 2024 currently total 5.9 million, though three races have not announced their attendance figures for this season. When figures from Saudi Arabia, Monaco and the United States (COTA) are added, the figure is likely to be in the region of 6.7 million.
Race by Race Formula 1 Attendance Figures in 2024
2024 Bahrain Grand Prix
The total weekend attendance at the Bahrain Grand Prix reached 100,000 – making it the best-attended race in Bahrain since 2010. One of the more modestly attended races on the calendar, there were 37,000 fans in attendance on the season-opening race day, which was a new single day record for the event. Excluding coronavirus-impacted seasons, attendance figures at the Bahrain Grand Prix have grown every season since 2012. Early-bird discounts are currently available on tickets for the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix (April 11-13)
2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
No official attendance figure has been published for the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Based on previous years, the weekend figure is likely to have been in the region of 150,000. The track has grandstand capacity of around 50,000. The inaugural year of the race at Jeddah Corniche Circuit (2021) is the only season for which an official figure has been announced. Then, it was 143,000. The 2023 figure was reportedly in excess of 150,000.
2024 Australian Grand Prix
For the third year in a row, Melbourne posted a new record attendance figure. 4-day attendance at the 2024 Australian Grand Prix was 452,055 – an increase of just over 7,000 on its 2023 figure. All four days of the race weekend were well attended, with Friday, Saturday and Sunday selling out. Over 65,000 attended on Thursday (the third-best Thursday attendance in the event’s history), a record-breaking 124,113 packed in on Friday for Free Practice, 130,806 watched Max Verstappen take pole on Saturday and Carlos Sainz’s Sunday victory was watched by 132,106 trackside.
You can expect big crowds for the Australian Grand Prix once again in 2025, which returns to its traditional season-opening slot for the first time since 2019. Tickets are expected to go on sale in early October.
2024 Japanese Grand Prix
The Japanese Grand Prix moved to a new slot on the calendar in 2024, taking place in early April. The fact that the 2024 edition followed just six months after last year’s race did not harm the attendance figure at all. Weekend attendance at Suzuka in 2024 was 229,000 – an increase of 7,000 from the 2023 number. It was the best-attended Japanese Grand Prix weekend since 2006, when Suzuka had a record weekend crowd of 361,000. Tickets are now on sale for the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix.
2024 Chinese Grand Prix
An official attendance figure for the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix was not announced but there are various reported figures. According to the local government, the attendance figure was “nearly 200,000”, with 10% of ticket buyers coming from overseas and 80% from outside of Shanghai – the highest percentage in the race’s history. Reuters estimate that 60,000 fans attended per day, which would put weekend attendance at a maximum of 180,000, while Joe Saward reports that the weekend figure was an alleged 175,000.
Zhou Guanyu became the first Chinese driver to compete in his home Grand Prix, which helped to boost the overall attendance. It’s reported that 100,000 tickets for the race weekend sold within 45 minutes of first being on sale. The first race at Shanghai International Circuit in five years saw an attendance increase from the 2019 figure, which was around 160,000. It remains to be seen if interest will continue to be so strong, with Zhou set to miss out on a seat on the 2025 grid.
2024 Miami Grand Prix
In its third year on the Formula 1 calendar, attendance grew once again at the Miami Grand Prix. Rising from 243,000 in 2022 to 270,500 in 2023, attendance growth slowed slightly in 2024, with 275,000 spectators attending across the weekend.
2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
Although an official attendance figure for the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was not announced, Motor Valley reports that the Imola race weekend had an attendance of “more than” 200,000. Last time F1 raced at Imola – in 2022 – the weekend attendance figure was just under 130,000. A 70,000 increase would represent the largest attendance growth of any race in 2024. The first phase of tickets is now on sale for the 2025 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix (May 16-18)
2024 Monaco Grand Prix
There has been no official attendance figure given for the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix. Attendances at the event have not been publicly revealed since 2017, when 200,000 fans attended. With limited grandstand capacity at the track, it’s unlikely that the figure will have increased too far from the same level as seven years ago. Tickets are already on sale for the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix (May 22-25)
2024 Canadian Grand Prix
The 2024 Canadian Grand Prix had a weekend attendance of 350,000. It was a new record for the Montreal race weekend and an increase of 5,000 on the previous year’s figure. Some fans and members of the paddock were disappointed by the event, branding it a “logistical mess”. Poor weather also blighted this year's edition of the Canadian Grand Prix, but did make for an exciting race. It remains to be seen whether issues at this year’s race will affect attendance numbers or capacity limits at next year’s race. Tickets are now on sale for the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix (June 13-15)
2024 Spanish Grand Prix
The overall attendance figure at the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix increased from 2023. There is some disagreement, however, over the exact figure. In their television broadcast, Formula 1 reported that weekend attendance was 288,218. Meanwhile, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya reported the figure to be 297,368, which compares to attendance of 284,000 fans in 2023. While weekend attendance increased, race day attendance fell slightly. Sunday at the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix was watched trackside by 125,210 fans – just over 300 fewer than in the previous season. The Catalunya track will host the Spanish Grand Prix for the final time in 2025.
2024 Austrian Grand Prix
Attendance at the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix weekend was 302,000. The figure dropped by 2,000 compared to the previous season but is still far ahead of pre-pandemic races at the track. For comparison, the 2019 Austrian Grand Prix weekend attracted a crowd of 203,000. Tickets are selling fast for the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix (June 27-29)
2024 British Grand Prix
Silverstone reported the same attendance figure for the 4-day 2024 British Grand Prix weekend as they did in 2023, despite reportedly reducing capacity. 480,000 fans were in attendance across the weekend, making it the equal-second-best-attended Formula 1 race weekend of all time. Race day itself had an attendance of 164,000 – a new record for Silverstone and an increase of 4,000 on the previous year.
Ahead of the race, Silverstone’s Managing Director attracted criticism for suggesting that Red Bull’s dominance – and not the inflated ticket prices – were the reason for British Grand Prix ticket sales being lower than in previous years. It was then reported that Lando Norris’ maiden win and championship challenge resulted in a late surge in ticket sales, which meant attendance was ultimately at the same level as the previous year.
2024 Hungarian Grand Prix
Attendance grew at the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix by 7,000 compared to 2023, with 310,000 fans at the Hungaroring across the race weekend. It was the third year in a row in which attendance at the event surpassed 300,000. Impressively, attendance in 2024 was almost double that of ten years previously, when fewer than 170,000 were present for the 2014 Hungarian Grand Prix weekend. Major modernization works at the almost 40-year old circuit will be taking place before the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix, with the pit/paddock building and most grandstands set to be replaced. Tickets for the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix (August 1-3) went on sale soon after this year's race. Many popular grandstands are already sold out.
2024 Belgian Grand Prix
Like Silverstone, Spa-Francorchamps announced an unchanged attendance figure at the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix compared to 2023. The record-equalling weekend was attended by 380,000 in total. The long term future of the track’s presence on the circuit remains in doubt. Next year’s race at Spa is the last of the current contract, and is likely to be well-attended once again. Tickets are now on sale for the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix (July 25-27), which will be a sprint race.
2024 Dutch Grand Prix
For the third year in succession, Zandvoort reported a weekend attendance at the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix of 305,000. It was the first time since the event’s comeback that local hero Max Verstappen failed to take victory – but that’s unlikely to affect the attendance figure at next year’s race, with interest in Dutch Grand Prix tickets remaining high among local fans.
2024 Italian Grand Prix
31,000 more fans attended the 2024 Italian Grand Prix than in 2023. Charles Leclerc’s victorious weekend was attended by 335,000 in total, an increase from 304,134 in the previous season. Race organisers had clearly increased capacity at the event for 2024, as in 2023 it was reported that 97% of all available tickets had sold, which would put total weekend capacity at around 314,000. Confusingly, the President of the Automobile Club of Italy reported that this was a new record figure for Monza, despite the 2022 weekend attendance having been reported as almost 2,000 more. First-phase tickets are now on sale for the 2025 Italian Grand Prix (September 5-7)
2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
There was a weekend attendance of 76,000 at the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, according to Baku City Circuit. Race organisers say that this was "the highest in the past eight years", despite the circuit having previously announced an attendance figure of 94,000 for the 2018 race weekend and 85,000 having attended in 2019.
The race at Baku City Circuit has one of the lowest attendance figures of the season. In 2023, it was reported that there was record attendance, with all grandstands selling out. In 2024, grandstand capacity was increased by 35% as a result of the increased demand for tickets.
2024 Singapore Grand Prix
The 2024 Singapore Grand Prix had a weekend attendance of 269,072 - an increase of just under 5,000 on the 2023 figure. The removal of the Bay Grandstand for last year’s Singapore Grand Prix saw attendance fall from a record 302,000 in 2022 to 264,000. The 2023 figure exceeded expectations for a weekend crowd of 250,000. Tickets sold well once again in 2024, with the race being declared a sell-out by event organisers.
2024 United States Grand Prix
An official attendance figure for the 2024 United States Grand Prix has not been announced. After being the top-attended race of the year in both 2021 and 2022, attendance fell at the 2023 event. COTA welcomed 432,000 fans over the 4-day race weekend in 2023 – a number which was down by 8,000 on the previous year. It was the first time since 2016 that year-on-year attendance did not grow at the track.
Hopes were high that COTA’s attendance would return to record numbers in 2024 - but we're yet to learn if that was the case. What we do know is that ticket sales picked up over the summer, with race promoter Bobby Epstein admitting that the event was on course for its lowest post-pandemic attendance up until that point. He estimated that Saturday attendance would be between 130,000 to 150,000. It is reported that race day attendance was between 140,000 to 150,000.
2024 Mexico City Grand Prix
Attendance at the 2024 Mexico City Grand Prix increased by almost 5,000 compared to the 2023 season, with close to 405,000 attending over the race weekend. Thanks to Sergio Perez’s presence on the Formula 1 grid, interest in tickets for the Mexico City Grand Prix has continued to be in demand, with attendances having grown every time that the race has been held since 2018.
2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix
Weekend attendances at Sao Paulo’s famous Interlagos circuit have doubled since 2016. The 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix had a weekend attendance of 291,717 - an increase of almost 25,000 on the 2023 total. The majority of tickets for the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix sold out very quickly, with the race being declared a sell-out on race weekend.
2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix
The 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend was attended by 306,000 - 9,000 fewer than in its inaugural year. Ticket sales were slower in 2024 than in 2023 but race day was still declared a sell out. It's worth noting that the 2023 event ran for four days, with an opening ceremony on the Wednesday before the Grand Prix, which probably accounts for the decline in attendance in 2024.
2024 Qatar Grand Prix
Attendance at the Qatar Grand Prix grew by over 30,000 in 2024 compared to 2023. After having an official weekend attendance of 120,000 in 2023, attendance across the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix weekend reached 154,973.
2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Attendances at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix continue to grow. In 2023, the figure was up by 10,000 from 2022 to 170,000. In 2024, the figure grew by a further 20,000, to 190,000 - the highest figure at the event since 2017, when 195,000 fans were in attendance. 195,000 also attended in 2016.
In 2023, 65% of tickets were sold to overseas visitors. Race organisers said that tickets once again sold fast in 2024, with a sell-out crowd having been expected when Yas Marina Circuit brought the longest-ever Formula 1 season to a close.
