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Verstappen tops global fan vote for most popular F1 driver

Max Verstappen has been voted the most popular driver by F1 fans around the world, while McLaren was chosen as the fans' favourite team in the global survey.

The results of the Global Fan Survey, conducted by Motorsport Network in partnership with F1 and Nielsen Sports, were released ahead of this weekend's US Grand Prix in Austin and the resumption of the championship fight between Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.

The survey tallied 167,302 responses, with average age of participants standing at 32.

Among F1's drivers, Verstappen garnered 14.4% of the vote, with the Dutchman supported by a strong international following, especially in the USA and in Japan.

The Red Bull driver edged McLaren's Lando Norris who accumulated 13.7% of the votes while Lewis Hamilton came in third but predictably topped the vote in the UK.

McLaren rose to the top of the pile when fans were asked to name their favourite team with 29.5% of the vote, ahead of Red Bull (19.8%), Ferrari (17.9%) and Mercedes (11.9%).

Fans were also asked to select their five favourite races, with Monza, Spa, Silverstone and Monaco retaining their spots in the top four since the last survey which was done in 2017, with Japan slotting into fifth.

Interestingly, a strong awareness by the fan community regarding sustainable fuels was noted, with 55% of fans believing F1 should be a world leader in the development of 100% sustainable fuels.

"We are hugely grateful for all the fans that have given their time to share their views in this huge survey," commented F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali.

"Their views are very valuable to us, and we are extremely pleased with what we have seen in the results.

"We are privileged as a sport to be truly international, racing in continents and countries around the world with a global fan base.

"We reach every corner of the globe through our events, tv broadcast and social media and media content.

"This is a blessing – to have such a platform – but it is also a responsibility. We must protect what we have, grow it, reach more fans, and ensure those blessings remain and get stronger."

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