Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says F1 entering exciting new era as global fanbase grows

Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali says the sport is entering an exciting new era, citing strong growth in television audiences, fan engagement and commercial success. He also highlighted major calendar expansions and the sport's evolving media strategy

Hyderabad: The 2026 season has marked a significant milestone for Formula 1, ushering in a new era of regulations, teams and drivers. The changes have also created opportunities to introduce new technologies, with fans naturally holding differing opinions on some of the innovations.

Speaking during an exclusive roundtable with international media, Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali said he was “very happy” about “the future in front of us”, highlighting growth in the sport’s fanbase, television viewership and overall audience.

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“The championship is becoming fascinating. There is a lot of action on the track. People are loving it,” he said.

On the commercial front, Domenicali said Formula 1 had become “a reference for all the major sports leagues” seeking to understand its sustained growth.

“This is possible because we are watching and listening to a very diverse and ever-growing audience. The only way to be successful is to remain relevant to the different communities we want to embrace,” he said.

Asked about Formula 1’s strategic decision to partner with Apple as its broadcast partner in the United States, Domenicali said the move reflected the sport’s changing approach to media rights and content distribution.

“We are changing the way rights holders monitor, produce and assess content. The aim is to create greater awareness in key markets through expanded streaming content, and the numbers we have seen recently are very, very good,” he said.

According to Formula 1, television viewership, social media engagement, event attendance and overall fan interest have shown positive growth during the first half of the 2026 season, with further races still to come.

New and renewed races:

Formula 1’s global expansion has generated growing interest from both existing and prospective host cities. Despite logistical challenges caused by the conflict in the Middle East, the sport has announced several additions and renewals to its calendar:

Malaysia has been confirmed as a new race venue for 2026 in collaboration with Bahrain.

A five-year agreement has been signed with Türkiye’s Istanbul Park, securing races through 2031.

The Las Vegas Grand Prix has been extended for 10 years, through 2037.

Multi-year alternating agreements have been signed with Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya (2028, 2030 and 2032) and Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps (2027, 2029 and 2031).

Portugal’s Portimão will return to the Formula 1 calendar in 2027 and 2028 under a multi-year agreement announced at the end of 2025.