The gap is shrinking and fast. As NASCAR grapples with internal turmoil, including the now-infamous leaked conversations involving top executives, the organization suddenly finds itself on shaky ground. Meanwhile, Formula One isn’t just watching from the sidelines; it’s exploding across America.
Case in point: the recent Las Vegas Grand Prix drew over a million viewers on ESPN, breaking its own record. That surge raises a pressing question: Is NASCAR losing its grip? And more importantly, could F1’s meteoric rise start chipping away at the Charlotte faithful?
F1’s Boom, NASCAR’s Slide – Time for a Reckoning?
F1’s open-wheel racing extravaganza didn’t just return to Sin City; it showed up swinging. In its third year, the Vegas GP shattered expectations and set a new benchmark in U.S. viewership. ESPN confirmed that the 2025 broadcast drew an average of 1.5 million viewers, a significant increase from last year’s 905,000, representing a 68% surge.
That number doesn’t just break records; it leaves the previous high of 1.3 million from the inaugural 2023 event in the dust.
A key boost came from a strategic schedule shift. Unlike last year’s near-1 a.m. start time, organizers moved the lights-out window earlier, with the telecast running from 10:52 p.m. to 12:55 a.m. ET. The payoff was undeniable: bigger audience, bigger buzz, and a race that kept fans hooked as reigning champion Max Verstappen notched another win and tightened the championship fight heading into the final stretch.
Point being, America isn’t just watching F1; it’s catching fire. Fortunately or unfortunately, this isn’t a one-off theme. Except for just three rounds, namely, Miami, Singapore, and Brazil, every other race on the F1 calendar has posted year-over-year growth.
Several stops have even rewritten their own history books, with record highs logged in Australia, China, Monaco, Spain, Canada, Austria, Great Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Azerbaijan, the United States, Mexico, and now Las Vegas.
On the other side of the motorsport spectrum, NASCAR isn’t exactly riding the same wave. The championship finale at Phoenix Raceway drew 2.77 million viewers on NBC, a noticeable slip from last year’s 2.9 million. The broader picture doesn’t get rosier either.
After averaging 2.892 million viewers in 2024, a modest 1% bump from 2023, this season’s average fell to 2.476 million. In all honesty, for a series built on heritage, loyalty, and decades of dominance in American motorsports, that’s more than a soft dip; it’s a trend line bending downward.
Yet, despite the slide, NASCAR’s president, Steve Phelps, insists none of this is surprising, calling the shift “expected.”
Still, the discussion extends beyond raw viewership. Some analysts argue that F1’s momentum is aided by broad broadcast accessibility, while NASCAR’s move toward streaming platforms could further challenge its reach. Critics caution that shifting key races behind a paywall risks accelerating the decline already visible in the numbers.
Regardless, what remains clear is that the balance of American motorsport interest is changing. While Formula One continues its upward climb, the homegrown series confronts a pivotal moment that will test its ability to retain relevance and scale its audience.
The gap is no longer speculative, but visible, measurable, and alarming.
