Miami Grand Prix SMASHES ESPN record with huge numbers

The 2024 Miami Grand Prix weekend will live long in the memory of Formula 1 fans across the world after what was a thrilling three days in Florida.

The drama began during Saturday's sprint race, as Daniel Ricciardo defied his doubters by securing a stunning fourth-place finish for RB.

READ MORE: F1 announce FREE US TV channel for fans

Then, Sunday's main event delivered one of the sport's biggest shocks in recent years, as McLaren's Lando Norris clinched his maiden F1 victory, ending Max Verstappen's perfect record at the track.

There was disappointment, however, for American fans hoping to have something to celebrate as home hero Logan Sargeant failed to finish the race.

Record viewing figures

Now, figures released by ESPN have revealed the action brought in a record number of viewers on ABC, with 3.1 million fans tuning in to watch events unfold - beating the previous record of 2.6 million who watched the inaugural showpiece in 2022.

ESPN televised Saturday's sprint, as 946,000 viewers - the largest US audience for a sprint since the introduction of the format in 2021 - were glued to their screens.

The figures are a welcome boost for the sport following concerns that interest was beginning to fall in the States, which had previously raised doubts over whether F1 could realistically compete with other popular motorsports such as IndyCar and NASCAR.

READ MORE: NASCAR has closest EVER finish in thrilling race

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