By Mukonazwothe Mamphitha
Formula 1 is the highest class of international car racing, where drivers compete in fast, technologically advanced cars on tracks around the world.
It’s a sport focused on speed, precision, teamwork and strategy with the goal to win a world championship.
This raises the question of how it gained its popularity.
Netflix’s Drive to Survive
The hit documentary got its rise in 2019, portraying the lives of the Formula 1 drivers who formed part of the 2018 grid.
It takes viewers behind the scenes to show the intense rivalries, high-stakes contract negotiations, in-team issues and the personal struggles of the teams and drivers on and off the track.
Since premiering, the docuseries has gained an enormous amount of traction with a global audience tuning in every year.
Fans now get to have an interpersonal connection with drivers and teams, bringing them closer to the sport every year, making F1 more known to the rest of the world.
The F1 movie
The F1 movie hit the cinema screens in the middle of June 2025.
The film was meant to bring hardcore racing fans and mainstream global audiences together, gaining a new audience.
The pop soundtrack, immersive storyline and the idea that the current grid was all in the movies portraying themselves created a different type of excitement.
The sport gained a new audience, and the current fans got to see their favourite actors and drivers star in a movie about motorsport.
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Social media brings fans closer to the action
Social media has brought F1 fans closer to the action by breaking down barriers that used to separate the sport from its audience.
Now, fans can get live updates, behind-the-scenes clips, driver reactions and more through social media accounts set up by the teams.
TikTok and X allow teams and drivers to share personal moments, celebrations and victories.
This type of content makes fans feel like they are a part of something bigger within the sport.
Team and drivers as brands beyond the track
Teams and drivers in F1 have developed into global brands that go beyond the track.
This creates a strong identity that fans connect with even outside of race weekends.
Each team’s identity is built through their colours, logo, driver personalities and storytelling, making them easily recognisable.
This extends to merchandise like caps, team clothing, mini race helmets and collectable race cards. These allow fans to feel physically and emotionally connected to the sport and the teams.
As a result, branding and merchandising create an emotional attachment while simultaneously keeping fans engaged in between races, summer and winter break.
This increases the likelihood that fans continue to watch and follow F1 throughout the season.
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Sports dominates mainstream media
Formula 1 plays a huge role in how sports dominate mainstream media.
The sport moves from niche motorsport to a constant presence across television, streaming and digital platforms.
Highlights, race results and think pieces on the drivers are shared across multiple platforms for fans to interact with.
Major broadcasting deals and global coverage allow for races to be shown across different regions at the same time.
The consistent visibility that F1 holds keeps the sport trending in more ways than one.
F1’s growing fanbase shows how the sport has successfully advanced beyond traditional motorsport audiences.
Through thrilling races and access through media and digital platforms, F1 has become more engaging, attracting fans from all across the world.
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