F1 On TV: Bahrain GP ratings revealed as NASCAR hits a new low

F1 on TV

F1 On TV: Bahrain GP ratings revealed as NASCAR hits a new low

The numbers are in for a massive weekend of motorsport action

Graham Shaw Consultant Editor

Digital sports specialist running global brands for 30 years

Wednesday 8 March 2023 20:57 Updated: 13:25

F1's massive growth in the United States hit a slight bump on Sunday, but it was nothing like the massive cavernous crater which engulfed NASCAR.

A one-sided beatdown where the result is known long before the finish is never good for any sport, and so it proved as the Bahrain Grand Prix turned into a Red Bull procession with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez claimed a dominant one-two.

US TV ratings in for F1's 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix

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The race had set new US record viewing figures on ESPN in 2022 with 1.35million people tuning in Stateside. Sunday's season opener brought in 1.32million - a dip of 3%. The rating figure of 0.7 was down 8% from 0.75.

You could argue of course that a slight fall was a plus for the sport give the nature of Sunday's race - and the fact a Red Bull domination was clearly on the cards before lights out.

NASCAR endures Las Vegas shocker

You could not however make that argument to defend NASCAR, which had a seismic drop for coverage of its Cup Series race in Las Vegas later in the day.

Per SportsMediaWatch, the audience was down 12% to 3.99million while ratings plummeted by 18% to 2.2.

It was the lowest rating and audience for the race in at least two decades.