Bahrain GP most viewed race on ESPN since 1995

Formula 1's curtain raiser in Bahrain last weekend attracted a peak audience of 1.5 million U.S. viewers according to ESPN, making it the most viewed F1 race on cable since 1995.

On average, the opening round of the 2022 F1 season at Sakhir lured 1.3 million viewers in the U.S. but the closing stages of the thrilling race attracted an extra 200,000 viewers.

The metrics, which were measured by analytics company Nielsen, were up significantly compared to the 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix which generated an average 927,000 viewers, according to ESPN.

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The Disney-owned network said that last Sunday's race wo, by Ferrari's Charles Leclerc drew more cable viewers than any other round of the F1 world championship since the 1995 Brazilian Grand Prix, which averaged 1.75 million viewers.

Formula 1's profile and popularity in the U.S. have been boosted by the success of Netflix's 'Drive to Survive' series which debuted in 2019 and which is now in its fourth season.

Formula 1's growth in America has allowed commercial rights holder Liberty Media to add a second race in the country, with Miami joining Austin this year on F1's calendar.

But F1's footprint in the U.S. is likely to continue to expand with Liberty rumored to be close to sealing a deal with Las Vegas which could join the sport's agenda as soon as 2023.

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