F1 Season Starts Strong as Diverse Audience Surges

South African viewers have a growing “need for speed”. According to viewership data from Nielsen Sports SA, the 2025 Formula One (F1) season has kicked off with significant audience growth on SuperSport platforms. Reporting on the first two race weekends of the 2025 season, a more diverse audience is tuning in, and secondary broadcasts have shown impressive growth, possibly due to early race start times.

Notably, the total unique secondary audience for the first two F1 race weekends increased by an impressive 148% year-on-year, with total secondary consumption surging by 290%. These figures reflect a significant rise in flexible viewing habits, with fans increasingly choosing to engage on their terms.

This growth points to a robust early-season appetite for F1 content. SuperSport’s commitment to serving all types of fans across the spectrum, particularly on the DStv compact package, which supports flexible secondary viewing. SuperSport’s role in bringing the whole F1 experience to all fan types continues to pay off, with broad reach and sustained interest across the board.

Tumelo Selikane, Managing Director at Nielsen Sports South Africa, comments: “It’s encouraging to see early-season F1 viewership reflecting such diverse and engaged audiences. The live unique audience has seen a significant upturn, and the growth in secondary viewership tells us that fans are finding flexible ways to stay connected to the sport.

“As more races roll out across the season, we’ll watch closely how this momentum builds, especially across key digital and time-shifted platforms. A growing and more diverse audience bodes well for advertisers and sponsors, who are gaining multiple new opportunities to connect with viewers.”

He concludes, “While it’s still early days in the season, the numbers indicate that Formula One’s footprint in South Africa remains strong, with signs of continued growth as the season progresses.”