Las Vegas GP's new start time leads to record ratings

The Las Vegas Grand Prix finally delivered the domestic audience Formula One has been looking for in the event's third year.

ESPN averaged 1.5 million viewers for Saturday night's race, up 68 per cent from last year's 905 000 and ahead of the 1.3 million who watched the 2023 debut. Through 22 races, F1 is averaging 1.3 million viewers on ESPN and tracking to eclipse the full-season record average of 1.21 million. Two races remain this season before the series shifts from ESPN to Apple TV next year.

A simple tweak helped. The race began at 11pm ET (8pm PT), two hours earlier than the prior 1am ET (10pm local) start. That earlier window broadened access for US fans after the first two editions geared toward Europe and Asia.

"We listened, we adjusted it, and we hope that this year, it means that everybody is understanding that we are really trying to make that change," F1 chief commercial officer and Las Vegas GP CEO Emily Prazer said recently on the "Unlapped" podcast

Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen was victorious this year, winning the Las Vegas Grand Prix for the second time and earning the 69th victory of his career overall.

Las Vegas is locked into the F1 schedule through 2027, and the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that discussions are already underway to extend the deal through at least 2032.