Though NASCAR was once the star of the car racing stage, in recent years it has dwindled into the shadows of the racing community, leaving Formula 1 (F1) to take center stage. With Apple TV taking over as the home of F1, races are easier to access than ever. Major celebrities have made appearances at several Grand Prix, such as Beyonce and Jay-Z, as well as influencers like Lexi Rivera and Madeleine White Fedyk. Even major sports names made cameos at the Las Vegas Grand Prix — notably Mondo Duplantis and Tara Davis-Woodhall .
Between the social media presence, easy access, and cool branding, F1 has become the spotlight of the racing world, but what has caused this rise in Formula 1 popularity? According to Frontstretch, there has been a significant shift in how F1 has been talked about in the media, and fans have been able to understand the sport more deeply, without needing knowledge of cars and engines.
With some sports teams and players having a major following because of who they are as a person, and not which team they are associated with, F1 is the opposite. Before F1 gained the popularity it boasts now, being a fan of the sport was based around understanding the technology underlying each race. Now the drivers are appearing in more pop-culture events, making it so that people can become fans of drivers for their personas, and not just for their racing. Sir Lewis Hamilton was the voice of himself in the second installation of “Cars.” Even Richard Petty, though he belongs to NASCAR, made an appearance as The King in the trilogy, Lightning McQueen’s top opponent.
Though new fans may not initially understand the technical aspects of the sport, more experienced fans are making sure new fans are caught up, creating an atmosphere of understanding among the community. The modern core of F1 is sharing stories of the drivers with the world, which allows for more of a connection to the fanbase. Even if fans may not get all the technical aspects of a race, there is more and more commentary available that creates an understandable way of appreciating the sport without knowing cars.
Even with the increased support and popularity of the racing seasons, Formula 1 and Liberty Media Corporation still respect the history and beginning of the events, keeping the Monza and Monaco races in use almost 100 years after their inception. Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Italy is the oldest Grand Prix track while Monaco is the oldest street course in Grand Prix.
Teams and drivers have changed over the years, but the history of F1 is rooted deep, with Ferrari being the oldest team and only one to compete in every world championship since 1950.
The media presence of the drivers is undeniable. Hamilton has the largest with almost 43 million followers on Instagram, followed by Charles Leclerc with 23.6 million and Max Verstappen with 18.3 million.
Formula 1 caught the world by storm in the last few years, because there are so many new points of interest for fans and spectators. Keeping up with F1 and the Grand Prix has taken over media, pop culture, and movie ideas, such as “F1: The Movie” (2025), which made double their estimated budget. They create a reality inside the movie, giving popular artists an outlet to make music in the racing world. They design an atmosphere around very real issues and accidents that happen in the F1 circuit, while giving a human aspect to Sonny Hayes, Brad Pitt’s character, and having him alongside Hamilton, LeClerc, Verstappen, Norris, and Antonelli.
With the F1 season lasting March till December, and with the new drivers this season gaining their own following, the popularity of the event is expected to continue to grow.. The next Grand Prix is May 3 in Miami, giving the drivers time to prepare and focus.
