The F1 and Liberty Media have just released the figures for the number of fans attending the Grand Prix in 2021. With 2.69 million people purchasing a ticket, we are far from pre-pandemic numbers, but the result is not so bad.
In 2019, over 4.16 million people attended a Grand Prix. With 2.69 million in 2021, one might think that the attraction of Formula 1 fans was much lower. However, considering the health restrictions related to the pandemic as well as the uncertainties of cancellations or rescheduling of the Grand Prix, the attendance is not that low.
Three events have particularly stood out in terms of attendance in 2021: the USA, Mexico, and England, with 400,000, 371,000, and 356,000 tickets sold respectively for the three-day event.
The circuits are not equal in terms of available space to accommodate the public in grandstands or open areas. European circuits are particularly less well equipped traditionally, with older infrastructure. However, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, and Hungary have achieved significant numbers with, for example, 213,000 fans attending in Belgium or 195,000 in the Netherlands.
Stefano Domenicali is very satisfied with these figures: « The 2021 season was very special with a title battle in the final race and overall excitement throughout the championship. We were able to welcome fans back to the stands. They are the heart and soul of this sport. And despite the health restrictions, we were able to accommodate over 2.6 million people in the stands. »
On social media, Formula 1 is growing and remains for the second consecutive year the sport that has attracted the most new fans, with a total of over 49 million followers on various platforms.
The Chinese are one of the contributors to this increase with a growth of +39% in the number of followers in 2021.
