Zak Brown: F1 Must Boost US TV Ratings, Not Just Race Attendance

McLaren CEO Zak Brown believes Formula 1 has plenty of room to grow in the United States — but not by adding more races. Instead, he says the sport needs to crack TV ratings. Speaking to media including RacingNews365, Brown made clear that while live attendance is booming, at-home viewership remains relatively small compared to established American sports like the NFL.

Why it matters:

F1's US expansion has been a massive success story, with three permanent grands prix in Miami, Austin, and Las Vegas drawing huge crowds. But the sport's long-term growth in North America depends on converting those fans into consistent television viewers. Brown's comments highlight a lingering weakness: despite record attendance and a lucrative new Apple deal (reportedly worth $750 million over five years), F1 still hasn't matched the cultural penetration of the NFL or other major leagues.

The details:

• Brown thinks F1 could support four or five US races, but he warns against over-saturating the market at the expense of other growth regions like South Africa and Korea.
• TV ratings are the key metric: “I think TV ratings are still relatively small compared to the NFLs of the world,” Brown said. He called it “the biggest area of growth” for F1 in the US.
• Despite the gap, viewership is rising. Last year, ESPN reported an all-time single-season record with an average audience of 1.3 million viewers per race — but that figure still pales next to NFL games that routinely draw 15–20 million.
• The new Apple deal (replacing ESPN) could help boost exposure, but Brown suggests the sport needs to work harder on broadcast timing, marketing, and storytelling to attract casual viewers.

What's next:

Brown's demand signals that F1's leadership will likely prioritize TV audience growth over additional US rounds in the near term. The focus will shift to making races more accessible and engaging for home viewers — especially in a market where scheduling often conflicts with European time zones. If F1 can close the ratings gap, the US could become an even bigger pillar of the championship's commercial success.